Grade Level: 5 - Discovering the United States of America

Name: L. Shelton
Grade Level: 5th
Subject Area: American History
Objectives:
Students will learn about the background of the United States, the population, political
concepts, languages spoken, and at minimum three major descriptors that define the
United States of America.
Learn the history of the United States.
Describe the people and diversity that makes up the US and the total population.
Understand the political concepts of America
Recite at least three descriptors that define the US.
Explain the benefits of being an American.
Materials Needed:
Construction paper
Glue
Magazines
Pencil, color pencils
Folder
Computer Access with Internet
American History book hard copy or online version
Suggested Time: 1 3 Class periods
Procedure or Method of Instruction:
1. Share with students the key facts about the United States of American through
reading out loud to students some key background information on the country.
Read the same background information in Spanish to accommodate the second
most recognized language in my class.
2. Describe the resources that are available for additional reading and learning
about the United States.
3. Explain the creative assignment to the students to create folder that represents
their thoughts and most recognized facts about the US including the people,
political concept, details about population and diversity, languages spoken, and
minimum of three key facts about the US.
4. Explain the available resources that can be used to uncover more facts about the
United States, which includes encyclopedia, websites and books about the
country. Also, share with students that a stack of magazines have been provided
in the back of the room to help with the creative part of their project.
5. Read to students the requirement to write a short essay about the US that
describes the content of their folder. Outline the requirement that the essay must

follow creative writing, APA style formatting, and it must be inserted in their
folder.
6. Provide each student with computer lab time, if necessary to complete their
project for submittal next day.
7. Outline that English language learner (ELL) students may use resources in their
own native language to help with their understanding; however, final essays must
be in English. This strategy will help will promoting brain-based learning for
comfort to learn the information.
Key Vocabulary
Democracy
o Definition: A system of government in which power is vested in the
people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives.
Note: Democratic institutions, such as parliaments, may exist in a
monarchy.
Diversity
o Definition: the state or fact of being diverse; difference;
unlikeness: diversity of opinion. Diversity of thought, religion, ideology
and freedom of expression is the underpinning of our democracy.
Independence
o Definition: Freedom from outside control or support, the state of being
independent, the time when a country or region gains political freedom
from outside control.
Political Party
o Definition: political party is an organization of people which seeks to
achieve goals common to its members through the acquisition and exercise
of political power.
Population
o The number of people who live in a place, a group of people or animals of
a particular kind that live in a place.