Social Studies in Fifth Grade

The Social Studies Curriculum Team for MSAD 49 determines the units we learn about in fifth grade and all other grades. Our units of focus are:

1. Geography

2. Migration onto the North American Continent

3. Natives of North and Central America

4. Exploration of the North and and South American Continents

5. Colonization of North America

6. The Road to Independence (Colonial Revolutionary War)

Integration with literacy is heavily used to bring these units to life in the classroom. We use titles like The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare, Pedro's Journal by Pam Conrad, The Fighting Ground by Avi, Encounter by Jane Yolen, Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak by Kay Winters, Roanoke: The Lost Colony An Unsolved Mystery from History by Jane and Heidi Elizabet Yolen Stemple and other interactive read alouds.

We learn the 5 components of Social Studies and use them through all of our units of study:

* Geography

* Civics and Government

* Cultures

* Economics

* History

Experiences we share outside of the classroom to enrich our learning:

* A trip to the Maine State Museum to learn about the early Natives in our state.

* A trip to The Maine Maritime Museum in Bath to learn about Maine economy during early colonization to the present in the boat making industry

* A trip to Olde Fort Western in Augusta to learn about early colonial life in a living history museum