5th Grade Social Studies Teaching and Learning Framework*

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Intro Unit Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Unit 6 Unit 7 Unit 8 Unit 9
Launching Social Government and Turn of the 20th World War I & The Great World War II The Cold War American Life American Life Personal Finance
Studies Civics Century the Roaring 20s Depression & The (5 weeks) (3 weeks) from 1950-1975 from 1975-2001 (3 weeks)
(1 week) (3 weeks) (4 weeks) (5 weeks) New Deal (4 weeks) (3 weeks)
(5 weeks)
What big ideas do How does the How did life change How did American How did the Great What was How did the United How did American How did America’s How can I make
we see across Constitution protect for Americans at involvement in Depression and the America’s role in States respond to culture change role in the world responsible
American history, the rights of the turn of the 20th WWI lead to the New Deal affect the World War II? the threat of between 1950 and change between decisions about
geography, citizens? century? Roaring 20s? lives of Americans? Communism? 1975? 1975 and 2001? personal spending
government, and and saving?
economics?
Map Skills: 1 - 11
Information Processing Skills: 1-17
CT/EU HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDINGS - Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Conflict and Change; Beliefs and Ideals
SS5H1 Describe SS5H2 Describe SS5H3 Explain how SS5H4 Explain SS5H5 Discuss the SS5H6 Describe the SS5H7 Trace
Location how life changed in U.S. involvement in the Great America’s origins and importance of key important
America at the turn World War I and Depression and involvement in consequences of people, events, and developments in
Individuals,
of the century. post World War I New Deal affected World War II. the Cold War. developments America from 1975
Groups, a. Describe the role America. the lives of millions a. Describe a. Explain the origin between 1950 and to 2001.
Institutions of the cattle trails a. Explain how of Americans. German aggression and meaning of the 1975. a. Describe the
in the late 19th German attacks on a. Discuss the Stock in Europe and term “Iron Curtain.” a. Analyze the collapse of the
Scarcity
century; include the U.S. shipping during Market Crash of Japanese b. Explain how the effects of Jim Crow Soviet Union,
Distribution of Black Cowboys of the war in Europe 1929, Herbert aggression in Asia. United States laws and practices. including the role of
Power Texas, the Great (1914-1917) Hoover, Franklin b. Describe the sought to stop the b. Explain the key Ronald Reagan.
Western Cattle ultimately led the Roosevelt, the Dust major events in the spread of events of people of b. Describe the
Production, Trail, and the U.S. to join the fight Bowl, and soup war in both Europe communism the Civil Rights events of
Distribution, Chisholm Trail. against Germany; kitchens. and the Pacific; through the Berlin movements: Brown September 11,
Consumption b. Describe the include the sinking b. Analyze the main include Pearl airlift, the Korean v. Board of 2001 and analyze
impact on of the Lusitania and features of the New Harbor, Iwo Jima, War, and the North Education (1954), their impact on
Conflict and American life of the concerns over Deal; include the D Day, VE and VJ Atlantic Treaty Montgomery Bus American life.
Change Wright brothers safety of U.S. ships, significance of the Days, and the Organization. Boycott, the March c. Explain the
(flight), George U.S. contributions Civilian Holocaust. c. Identify Joseph on Washington, impact of the
Beliefs and Ideals Washington Carver to the war, and the Conservation Corps, c. Discuss McCarthy and Civil Rights Act, personal computer
(science), impact of the Works Progress President Nikita Khrushchev. Voting Rights Act, and the Internet on
Technological Alexander Graham Treaty of Versailles Administration, and Truman’s decision d. Discuss the and civil rights American life.
Innovations Bell in 1919. the Tennessee to drop the atomic importance of the activities of
(communication), b. Describe the Valley Authority. bombs on Cuban Missile Crisis Thurgood Marshall,
Movement and
and Thomas Edison cultural c. Discuss important Hiroshima and and the Vietnam Lyndon B. Johnson,
Migration (electricity). developments and cultural elements of Nagasaki. War. Cesar Chavez, Rosa
Rule of Law c. Explain how individual the 1930s; include d. Identify Parks, and Martin
William McKinley contributions in the Duke Ellington, Roosevelt, Stalin, Luther King, Jr.
(Introduced Q1 & and Theodore 1920s of the Jazz Margaret Mitchell, Churchill, Hirohito, c. Describe the
developed Roosevelt Age (Louis and Jesse Owens. Truman, Mussolini, impact on
throughout the expanded Armstrong), the and Hitler. American society of
America’s role in Harlem e. Describe the the assassinations
year.)
the world; include Renaissance effects of rationing of President John F.
the Spanish- (Langston Hughes), and the changing Kennedy, Robert F.
American War and baseball (Babe role of women and Kennedy, and
the building of the Ruth), the African Americans Martin Luther King,
Panama Canal. automobile (Henry or Blacks; include Jr.

*This framework is intended as a guide and is flexible to meet the needs of local schools and students. Updated May 2018
 d. Describe the Ford), and “Rosie the Riveter” d. Discuss the
reasons people transatlantic flight and the Tuskegee significance of the
immigrated to the (Charles Airmen. technologies of
United States, from Lindbergh). f. Explain the role television and
where they of Eleanor space exploration.
emigrated, and Roosevelt and the
where they settled. U.S. in the
formation of the
United Nations.
GEOGRAPHIC UNDERSTANDINGS - Location; Movement and Migration
SS5G1 Locate SS5G2 Explain the SS5G2 Explain the SS5G1 Locate SS5G1 Locate SS5G2 Explain the
important places in reasons for the reasons for the important places important places in reasons for the
the United States. spatial patterns of spatial patterns of in the United the United States. spatial patterns of
a. Locate important economic economic activities. States. a. Locate important economic
man made places: activities. b. Locate primary a. Locate man made places: activities.
include the b. Locate primary agricultural and important man include the b. Locate primary
Chisholm Trail; agricultural and industrial locations made places: Chisholm Trail; agricultural and
Pittsburgh, PA; industrial locations since the turn of the include the Pittsburgh, PA; Kitty industrial locations
Kitty Hawk, NC; since the turn of 20th century and Chisholm Trail; Hawk, NC; Pearl since the turn of
Pearl Harbor, HI; the 20th century explain how factors Pittsburgh, PA; Harbor, HI; the 20th century
Montgomery, AL; and explain how such as population, Kitty Hawk, NC; Montgomery, AL; and explain how
and Chicago, IL. factors such as transportation, and Pearl Harbor, HI; and Chicago, IL. factors such as
SS5G2 Explain the population, resources have Montgomery, AL; SS5G2 Explain the population,
reasons for the transportation, and influenced these and Chicago, IL. reasons for the transportation, and
spatial patterns of resources have areas (e.g. Chicago’s SS5G2 Explain the spatial patterns of resources have
economic influenced these rapid growth at the reasons for the economic influenced these
activities. areas (e.g. turn of the century). spatial patterns of activities. areas (e.g.
a. Locate primary Chicago’s rapid economic b. Locate primary Chicago’s rapid
agricultural and growth at the turn activities. agricultural and growth at the turn
industrial locations of the century). b. Locate primary industrial locations of the century).
between the end of agricultural and since the turn of
the Civil War and industrial locations the 20th century
1900 and explain since the turn of and explain how
how factors such as the 20th century factors such as
population, and explain how population,
transportation, and factors such as transportation, and
resources have population, resources have
influenced these transportation, influenced these
areas (e.g. and resources have areas (e.g.
Pittsburgh’s rapid influenced these Chicago’s rapid
growth in the late areas (e.g. growth at the turn
nineteenth Chicago’s rapid of the century).
century). growth at the turn
of the century).
CIVIC/GOVERNMENT UNDERSTANDINGS - Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Distribution of Power; Beliefs and Ideals
SS5CG1 Explain SS5CG3 Explain SS5CG3 Explain
how a citizen’s how amendments how amendments
rights are to the U.S. to the U.S.
protected under Constitution have Constitution have
the U.S. maintained a maintained a
Constitution. representative representative
a. Explain the democracy/ democracy/
responsibilities of a republic. republic.
citizen.

*This framework is intended as a guide and is flexible to meet the needs of local schools and students. Updated May 2018
 b. Explain the a. Explain how a. Explain how
concept of due voting rights are voting rights are
process of law and protected by the protected by the
describe how the 15th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, 15th, 19th, 23rd, 24th,
U.S. Constitution and 26th and 26th
protects a citizen’s amendments. amendments.
rights by due
process.
SS5CG2 Explain the
process by which
amendments to
the U.S.
Constitution are
made.
a. Explain the
amendment
process outlined in
the Constitution.
b. Describe the
purpose for the
amendment
process.
SS5CG3 Explain
how amendments
to the U. S.
Constitution have
maintained a
representative
democracy/republi
c.
a. Explain how
voting rights are
protected by the
15th, 19th, 23rd,
24th, and 26th
amendments.
ECONOMIC UNDERSTANDINGS - Scarcity; Production, Distribution, and Consumption
SS5E1 Use the SS5E1 Use the SS5E2 Describe the SS5E1 Use the SS5E3 Describe SS5E3 Describe SS5E4 Identify the
basic economic basic economic functions of four basic economic how consumers how consumers elements of a
concepts of trade, concepts of trade, major sectors in the concepts of trade, and producers and producers personal budget
opportunity cost, opportunity cost, U.S. economy. opportunity cost, interact in the U.S. interact in the U.S. (income,
specialization, specialization, a. Describe the specialization, economy. economy. expenditures, and
productivity, and productivity, and household function productivity, and c. Describe how c. Describe how saving) and explain
price incentives to price incentives to in providing price incentives to entrepreneurs take entrepreneurs take why personal
illustrate historical illustrate historical resources and illustrate historical risks to develop risks to develop spending and
events. events. consuming goods events. new goods and new goods and saving decisions
b. Explain how c. Describe how and services. a. Describe services to start a services to start a are important.
price incentives specialization can b. Describe the opportunity costs business. business. a. Explain how
affect people’s improve standards private business and their saving money can
behavior and of living and function in relationship to improve financial
choices (e.g. productivity (e.g. producing goods decision making well-being.
decisions to how Henry Ford’s and services. across time (e.g. b. Create a budget
participate in cattle use of the assembly c. Describe the bank decisions by to balance income
trails because of line reduced the function in providing individuals in
and expenses.
checking accounts, response to
*This framework is intended as a guide and is flexible to meet the needs of local schools and students. Updated May 2018
 increased beef price of savings accounts, rationing during c. Categorize types
prices). automobiles). and loans. WWII). of household
d. Describe how SS5E3 Describe d. Describe the SS5E2 Describe the expenses and
trade and voluntary how consumers government functions of four sources of income.
exchange promotes and producers function in taxation major sectors in d. Compare prices
economic activity interact in the U.S. and providing the U.S. economy. for the same item
(e.g. how the economy. certain public goods a. Describe the
from two different
Panama Canal c. Describe how and public services. household
stores.
increases trade entrepreneurs take SS5E3 Describe how function in
among countries). risks to develop consumers and providing e. Describe ways
SS5E3 Describe new goods and producers interact resources and that people can
how consumers services to start a in the U.S. consuming goods decrease expenses
and producers business. economy. and services. to save more of
interact in the U.S. a. Describe how b. Describe the their income.
economy. competition, private business f. Explain how
c. Describe how markets, and prices function in checks and debit
entrepreneurs take influence consumer producing goods cards, gift cards
risks to develop behavior. and services. and credit cards
new goods and b. Describe how SS5E3 Describe work as payment
services to start a people earn income how consumers
methods.
business. by selling their labor and producers
g. Explain why
to businesses. interact in the U.S.
economy. people are required
b. Describe how to pay taxes for
people earn which they receive
income by selling government
their labor to services.
businesses.

Information Processing Skills Map & Globe Skills

1. Compare similarities and differences 1. Use a compass rose to identify cardinal directions
2. Organize items chronologically 2. Use intermediate directions
3. Identify issues and/or problems and alternative solutions 3. Use a letter/number grid system to determine location
4. Distinguish between fact and opinion 4. Compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural, and political
5. Identify main idea, detail, sequence of events, and cause and effect in a social studies context features found on maps
6. Identify and use primary and secondary sources 5. Use graphic scales to determine distances on a map
7. Interpret timelines 6. Use map key/legend to acquire information from historical, physical,
8. Identify social studies reference resources to use for a specific purpose political, resource, product and economic maps
9. Construct charts and tables 7. Use a map to explain impact of geography on historical and current events
10. Analyze artifacts 8. Draw conclusions and make generalizations based on information from maps
11. Draw conclusions and make generalizations 9. Use latitude and longitude to determine location
12. Analyze graphs and diagrams 10. Compare maps of the same place at different points in time and from
13. Translate dates into centuries, eras, or ages different perspectives to determine changes, identify trends, and generalize
14. Formulate appropriate research questions about human activities
15. Determine adequacy and/or relevancy of information 11. Compare maps with data sets (charts, tables, graphs) and/or readings to
16. Check for consistency of information draw conclusions and make generalizations
17. Interpret political cartoons

*This framework is intended as a guide and is flexible to meet the needs of local schools and students. Updated May 2018