Social Studies

Understanding the Social Studies Classroom:

Social Studies is more than a textbook of non fiction reading. It is an understanding of early civilizations, historical events, and cultural traditions that have shaped the societies of the world, and particularly in 5th grade, the Western Hemisphere. Through reading, interactive lessons, discussions, and role-playing, students are offered a blended learning experience. These classroom experiences increase a student's global perspective and may ultimately increase empathy and understanding for all. 

Social Studies Assignments:

• Google Classroom - Students must use Google Classroom (GC) daily to keep up with all assignments. Class lessons, notes, videos, and other resources are posted on GC. This is a must especially if the student has been absent. If absent, all assigned reading will need to be made up prior to the student returning to class whenever possible in order to be able to participate in discussions. 

Homework, Due Dates, & Late Work:

• The majority of homework in Social Studies is unfinished classwork. If a student works diligently in class, completing classwork, they can expect homework to be minimal.  Most “homework” in Social Studies revolves around studying for upcoming assessments, working on projects, and completing unfinished ‘classwork.’ Students should not spend more than an hour on WRITTEN work. If this happens daily, then let us know or stop at a good point and sign the planner with a note indicating how much time was spent on each assignment. 

• Why are due dates important? Together, we want our students to reach specific learning goals and due dates serve as deadlines to ensure students are progressing towards these goals. Recording homework assignments in our daily Troy planner and accomplishing tasks daily and nightly, are key to on-time completion. 

• Late work is acceptable with penalty up to three days after the assigned due date. Students are required to email the teacher upon completion of the late work as a score of zero may not be changed in PowerSchool unless the teacher is notified. In extreme extenuating circumstances, we work together to set up a plan for successful completion of school work.

  • Extra time is given for completion of classwork and homework when a student has an extended absence. *Google assignments are accessible at all times and we recommend “bookmarking” your child’s Google account and Google Classroom in order for parents to access easily.

Retake Policy:

While it is always in the students best interest to learn the material before an assessment or complete assignments to the best of their ability, we understand that life situations come up that may cause undesirable results. Therefore, retakes and redos will be offered on an individual basis, at INDIVIDUAL TEACHER DISCRETION. However, we may refuse a retake for various reasons. For example, the student did not attend extra study sessions, did not complete the study guides, did not do the required daily work, and/or did not show any other effort to prepare.

Grading: 

Total Point System is used in Social Studies and NOT percent weights. We try to create a balance between tests, quizzes, writing assignments, classwork, and projects to give students more than one way to shine.

5th Grade Social Studies has adopted a new program to start August 2025. This Curriculum Overview will be a work in progress.

Grade 5 Social Studies Topics 

Course Overview: Our focus this year will be on the Western Hemisphere. Students will work to develop basic Social Studies skills and grade level standards including:

• Daily Geography Practice (D.G.P.) Daily map examinations and answering map questions. 

• Reading and interpreting non fiction text 

• Regions and countries within the Western Hemisphere can be determined using geographic boundaries, landforms, climate, cultural, and economic characteristics

• Political, environmental, social, and economic factors cause people, products, and ideas to move resulting in diversity

• Government systems: Democracy, Monarchy, and Dictatorship. The role of citizens within the government system is examined.

• Interpreting data from circle graphs, images, charts, and tables

• Economics: Decision making has both present and future consequences. 

• Researching and recording information without plagiarizing; using both digital and non-digital resources

Online Textbook: Gallopade 5th Grade: Regions and People of the Western Hemisphere. Students access the Gallopade online Western Hemisphere digital text through their @alstudent.org Google account. Each student also has a Gallopade consumable workbook. 

Additional Online Supplemental Materials: Readworks passages, Quizlet (flashcard review of concepts), Blooket (review game), Padlet (digital sticky note), Edulastic (digital assessment platform), and EdPuzzle (videos with questions embedded) are interactive educational sites students may be using throughout the year. These assignments are accessible through the Google Classroom.

Assessments: Gallopade provides vocabulary building activities, interactive galleries, review opportunities, study guides, quizzes, and formative assessments throughout each unit. 

Content:

Quarter 1: Daily Geography Practice and Unit 1, History (Chapters 1-3)

•  Introduces concepts of time, early civilizations, and the effects of European exploration and colonization. 

Quarter 2: Daily Geography Practice and Unit 2, Geography (Chapters 4-10)

• Covers geographic tools, locations, and regions of the Western Hemisphere. 

Quarter 3: Daily Geography Practice and Unit 3, Government (Chapter 12)

• Examines how physical environments influence human activities, cultural groups, and the movement of people, products, and ideas. 

Quarter 4: Daily Geography Practice and Unit 4, Economics (Chapters 13-18)

• Focuses on the cultural diversity found within the Western Hemisphere.