5th grade students study the founding of our government and consider the role of individuals and groups in obtaining and maintaining liberty and equality in our democracy. They will begin with a close study of the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitution (1787), including the Bill of Rights (1791). They will explore the values espoused by the writers of the Declaration of Independence: liberty and equality. They will then explore examples of groups and individuals who have had to struggle to obtain these promises. To do this, they will consider the institution of enslavement and the abolition movement, the women’s suffrage movement, and Native nations and their fight for sovereignty. At the end of the course, they will do an in-depth study of the civil rights movement and the other struggles for human rights that it inspired.
Year-long Transfer Goals:
- Identify, read and question a range of primary and secondary sources.
- Analyze evidence and different perspectives to support an argument in writing and discussion.
- Demonstrate an understanding of human and civil rights.
- Develop empathy and consideration for the rights, experiences, and feelings of different groups of people.
Year-long Essential Questions:
- How can individuals and groups resolve conflicts?
- What rights should all people have?
- How do people, both individually and in groups, bring about change in their world? (shared with 4th grade)
