Unit Plan 27 (Grade 5 Social Studies): Midyear Synthesis — “Building a Nation” Exhibit

Focus: Design a class “Building a Nation” exhibit that connects the Constitution, key leaders, and the early economy, using inquiry skills to ask questions, analyze sources, and communicate evidence-based conclusions.

Grade Level: 5

Subject Area: Social Studies (Inquiry/Skills • Civics • History • Economics)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

Students step into the role of historians and curators preparing a “Building a Nation” exhibit for an audience of classmates, families, or another class. They revisit big ideas from earlier units—independence, founding documents, leaders, and the economy of a new nation—and organize them into themed displays. Along the way, they practice asking strong inquiry questions, using multiple sources, and building claims with evidence. The week ends with a mini exhibit walk where students present and reflect on how the new nation’s ideas, institutions, and economy fit together.

Essential Questions

• How can strong questions help us understand how the United States began and what it was trying to become?
• How do founding ideals in documents like the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights show what the new nation valued—and where it struggled?
• In what ways did leaders, citizens, and the economy all work together to build a nation after independence?
• How can we use evidence from multiple sources to create a fair and engaging exhibit about the early United States?
• What responsibilities do we have today as citizens in a republic, and how are they connected to the nation’s beginnings?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Frame compelling and supporting questions about U.S. beginnings, founding ideals, leaders, and the early economy for use in an exhibit.
2. Gather information from multiple sources (maps, charts, primary/secondary texts, portraits, artifacts, digital resources) related to their exhibit theme.
3. Evaluate sources for relevance, credibility, bias, and perspective, distinguishing fact, opinion, and claim in exhibit content.
4. Develop a clear claim (or “big idea”) for their exhibit panel about how the new nation was built, and support it with evidence and simple citations (title/author/source).
5. Explain key civic ideals (natural rights, liberty, equality, consent of the governed), the structure of the Constitution, citizen roles, and rights/limits in the Bill of Rights, connecting them to their exhibit.
6. Communicate exhibit conclusions through a display (poster, trifold, slide printouts, or tabletop station) and a short presentation, including at least one suggestion for an informed civic action today.

Standards Alignment — 5th Grade (C3-based custom)

• 5.C3.Inq.1 — Frame compelling and supporting questions about U.S. beginnings and civic ideals.
  • Example: “How did the Constitution try to fix earlier problems?” “Why did some colonists support independence while others stayed loyal?”
• 5.C3.Inq.2 — Gather information from multiple sources (maps, charts, primary/secondary texts, artifacts, digital).
  • Example: Use a colony map, a tax notice, and a diary excerpt to study boycotts or early economic choices.
• 5.C3.Inq.3 — Evaluate sources for relevance, credibility, bias, and perspective; distinguish fact, opinion, and claim.
  • Example: Identify a pamphlet’s point of view and evidence used.
• 5.C3.Inq.4 — Develop written/oral claims supported by evidence with simple citations (title/author/source).
  • Example: Write a paragraph arguing the most important turning point in building the new government with two cited sources.
• 5.C3.Inq.5 — Communicate conclusions and propose informed actions (exhibits, letters, podcasts, debates).
  • Example: Create a class briefing or exhibit panel on a civic idea with a suggestion for action today.
• 5.C3.Civ.1 — Explain the ideals in founding documents (natural rights, liberty, equality, consent of the governed).
  • Example: Paraphrase a sentence from the Declaration and connect it to a right today.
• 5.C3.Civ.2 — Describe the Constitution’s structure (branches, checks and balances, federalism) and purposes.
  • Example: Diagram how a law is made and checked by the courts.
• 5.C3.Civ.3 — Explain roles of citizens (responsibilities, participation, civil discourse) in a republic.
  • Example: Prepare talking points for a respectful class forum.
• 5.C3.Civ.4 — Interpret rights and limits in the Bill of Rights; apply to school/community scenarios.
  • Example: Distinguish between free expression and school safety rules.
• 5.C3.Civ.5 — Compare levels of government (local/state/federal) and the services each provides.
  • Example: Match a public issue (roads, parks, mail) to the responsible level.
• 5.C3.Hist.4 — Explain big ideas and turning points (colonial self-government, Revolution, Articles vs. Constitution, Bill of Rights).
  • Example: Contrast weaknesses of the Articles with solutions in the Constitution.
• 5.C3.Hist.5 — Construct historical explanations using evidence, acknowledging uncertainty and multiple causes.
  • Example: Explain why independence movements gained support from different groups.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can write strong questions that guide my research on the early United States.
• I can use more than one source (like maps, texts, or images) to find information for my exhibit.
• I can tell the difference between facts, opinions, and claims, and notice an author’s point of view.
• I can explain one clear big idea about how the new nation was built, and back it up with evidence and simple citations.
• I can show and explain at least one founding ideal, one government structure idea, and one economic or citizen role idea in my exhibit.
• I can work with my group to create an exhibit that teaches others and suggests at least one way people can take action or be good citizens today.