Category: Grade 5 Social Studies

Students will learn about how the first humans in the Western Hemisphere modified their physical environment as well as adapted to their environment. Students will have the opportunity to investigate how their interactions with their environment led to various innovations and to the development of unique cultures.Students will learn about early peoples living together in settlements and how this lead to the development of shared cultures with customs, beliefs, values, and languages that give identity to the group.

Students will develop an understanding of the history and geography of the Western Hemisphere. They will compare and contrast the similarities and differences between simple and complex societies (religion, job specialization, cities, government, language and writing systems, technology, and social hierarchy). They will identify, list and discuss the benefits of living in a complex society. Finally, the students will compare and contrast political states of the Maya and the Aztec, noting the territories that they controlled, the type of rule each had, and how the ruler attempted to unify the people.

Various European powers explored and eventually colonized the Western Hemisphere. This had a profound effect on Native Americans and led to the transatlantic slave trade. In this unit students will study how Europeans traveled to the Americas in search of new trade routes, including a northwest passage. Students will also investigate the interaction between European explorers and Native Americans and how cultural diffusion eventually led to the Colombian Exchange reshaping the lives and beliefs of many people. In addition, students will study the slavery of Africans brought to the Americas during the Middle Passage.

The diverse geography of the Western Hemisphere has influenced human culture and settlement in distinct ways. Human communities in the Western Hemisphere have modified the physical environment. In this unit, students will identify regions in the Western Hemisphere and explore their common identifiable characteristics. In addition, students will investigate how the physical environment influences human population distribution, land use, and other forms of economic activity in these areas. 

The countries of the Western Hemisphere are diverse and the cultures of these countries are rich and varied. Due to their proximity to each other, the countries of the Western Hemisphere share some of the same concerns and issues. In this unit, students will study how countries of the Western Hemisphere have varied characteristics and contributions that distinguish them from other countries. Students will also investigate how countries in the Western Hemisphere face a variety of concerns and issues specific to the region.

The political systems of the Western Hemisphere vary in structure and organization across time and place. In this unit, students will study how government structures, functions, and founding documents vary from place to place in the countries of the Western Hemisphere. Students will explore legal, political, and historic documents that define the values, beliefs, and principles of constitutional democracy and how across time and place, different groups of people in the Western Hemisphere have struggled and fought for equality and civil rights or sovereignty. In addition, students will investigate Multinational organizations and nongovernmental organizations in the Western Hemisphere who seek to encourage cooperation between nations, protect human rights, support economic development, and provide assistance in challenging situations.

The peoples of the Western Hemisphere have developed various ways to meet their needs and wants. Many of the countries of the Western Hemisphere trade with each other, as well as with other countries around the world. In this unit, students will study how different types of economic systems have developed across time and place within the Western Hemisphere. Students will also explore how peoples of the Western Hemisphere have engaged in a variety of economic activities to meet their needs and wants including trade and how trade lead to interdependence among them.