5th Grade
Social Studies
Unit 1: Government
This
unit provides students with an opportunity to review essential civics and
government concepts learned in previous grades. It also establishes a common
foundation that sets the stage for deeper discussions about government
throughout the year as students explore the question: Why is the federal
government organized to give and to limit power? Students begin by examining
what life would be like in the absence of government and hypothesize about the
reasons people form governments. Next, students review core democratic
values and principles upon which our government is based and investigate how
they are rooted in the organization of the federal government. In doing
so, concepts such as limited government, popular sovereignty, rule of law, and
individual rights are stressed. Students analyze and explain how the
Preamble to the Constitution reflects the purposes of government and explore
other parts of the Constitution for evidence of federalism, limited government,
and individual rights. In learning about federalism, students compare the
powers delegated to the federal government and those reserved to the states (or
the people). Contemporary examples of government in action are used
throughout the unit. Moreover, this unit provides teachers with the
opportunity to connect classroom rules with ideas about government, including
why people form governments, what happens without rules or laws, and the
importance of the rule of law. Finally, this unit allows for a smooth connection to Constitution Day, which is required by federal law.
