The Surrender was not the end:

Students will explore the fact that although Cornwallis surrendered, the Revolutionary War did not end. They will research major events that occurred between the surrender and the British and Loyalists evacuating from America.

Students are given dates and events. They will have to manipulate (either with paper or digitally) the events to match the dates given on the timeline.

This activity aligns with 5th grade Studies Weekly Week 26.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Timeline worksheet.
• Event worksheet.
• Answer Key.
• Google Slide Activity.
• Google Slide Answer Key.

How is this product useful:

• Low prep for teacher.
• Available as print or digital.
• Engaging for students.
• Can be used as an individual or group project.
• Good practice of chronological order.

Creative Activity:

Students will research the impact that imports had on the Americas during the Columbian Exchange. They will use their creativity to display the resource and tell of its impact on the Americas.

This is a great introduction on how many items we rely on today are not truly native to our ecosystem. After the posters are complete, students will observe the class posters and gain information. Students will reflect and expand on the knowledge they have gained. They will determine how the imports affected the economy, culture, and environment of the Americas.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Students instructions.
• Rubric.
• Import list.
• Reflection questions.

How is this product useful:

• Students use their creativity.
• Gain knowledge concerning how imports changed the Americas.
• Requires students to reach conclusions when reflecting.

Federalists vs Anti-Federalists:

Students will complete activities to build understanding about the two groups which helped form the Constitution and the country as a whole, the Federalist and Anti-Federalists. Students will create a poster which will inform people about either the Federalists or the Anti-Federalists. Great for project to display.

Extension questions are provided to give students the opportunity for a deeper level of thinking. These questions will have students making connections to the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists to their present day experience.

Students are given the opportunity to prepare and participate in a debate. This is an excellent introduction to the debate experience.

This product aligns with Indiana Social Studies standards 5.H.14, 5.C.3.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Informative text.
• Poster instructions.
• Extension questions.
• Debate instructions and graphic organizer.
• Rubrics.

How is this product useful:

• Low prep for teacher.
• Good practice of debate skills.
• Students can express creativity.
• Poster for display.
• Make good connections to present day.

Engaging project:

Students practice their research skills while using creativity to create an explorer trading card. Students learn about what explorer goals were and how they were able to make their journeys. Students learn who sponsored the explorers and what their intent was.

Students need to use their previous knowledge and what they research in order to reach conclusions about how the explorer affected the indigenous peoples of the countries they entered.

Aligns with Indiana Social Studies Standard 5.H.2.

What's included:

• Instructions.
• Explorer choices.
• Two sizes of trading card templates.
• Rubric.

How is this resource useful:

• Students practice research skills.
• Students reach new conclusions.
• Low prep for teacher.
• Rubric provided.

Engaging End of the Year Activity:

Students will be complete an engaging review of fifth grade Social Studies standards. They can work with a partner or a team or by themselves to answer questions focused on five social studies topics: history, the Constitution, civics & government, geography, and economics. These questions will help students review their year in social studies.

Teachers can choose to have students check their work after they finish each challenge in order to earn parts of a puzzle. Completed puzzles could be turned in for prizes. There is also a completed prize card provided.

Students can work at their own pace as teachers have topic labels which can be displayed throughout the classroom to show students where to find their next challenge.

When the challenge is complete, students can complete follow up questions to review the year and the Escape Room. These could be used as written assignments or to lead class discussion.

Aligns with Indiana Social Studies Standards: 5.H.1, 5.H.2, 5.H.10, 5.H.11, 5.H.16, 5.C.3, 5.C.5, 5.C.7, 5.G.1, 5.G.2, 5.E.1, 5.E.2, 5.E.3, 5.E.5.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Challenge templates.
• Code recording sheet (two sizes).
• Prize card (b&w and color).
• Prize puzzle (b&w and color).
• Topic labels.
• Answer keys.
• Follow up questions.
• Digital activity link.

How is this product useful:

• Low prep for teacher.
• Easy to assign digital option.
• Engaging for students.
• Good end of the year activity.
• Engaging for students.

Who was involved in the American Revolution battles?

This activity has students learning who was involved in specific battles of the American Revolution. Who led the battles? Which foreign countries supported each army? These are some of the questions which students will research and add to an infographic.

Students will use their creativity to complete their infographic with the information they find. These will be terrific to display and students can learn from each other's infographics.

This activity aligns with Indiana Social Studies Standards 5.H.11, 5.H.12.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Student instructions.
• Infographic blanks for 8 different battles.

How is this project useful:

• Low prep for teachers.
• Good research practice.
• Supports Revolutionary War knowledge.
• Students can add creativity.

Break Free From British Rule:

Students will engage in a series of puzzles to review and determine the causes of the Revolutionary War. They will focus on the Declaration of Independence and those topics outlined by the colonies which led to the war.

Students will complete a backwards, close reading puzzle to formulate the preamble and its meaning.

They will assemble a puzzle and unscramble letters to determine what the colonists felt was the meaning of government.

A completed maze will spell out six of the grievances outlined in the Declaration of Independence.

By shading boxes to create words, students will discover the consequences to the British government for not meeting the expectations of the colonists.

This activity is available for print and with a digital option with the link provided. A link is also provided for the text of the Declaration of Independence which can be used as reference by students.

This activity aligns with Indiana Social Studies Standard 5.H.10.

What's Included:

• Teacher instructions.
• 4 different puzzles/activities.
• Signs for classroom organization.
• Completion certificate.
• Answer Keys.
• Link to digital version (Google Form).

How is the product useful:

• Availability of both print and digital versions.
• Engaging activities.
• Great review.
• Aligns with Studies Weekly Week 23.
• Clear instructions for set up.

How do students learn to be effective researchers?

Students will create a reference checklist to use throughout the year to help with research when responding to compelling questions.

Students will read an informational text explaining how to research and why it is important to analyze the information found through research. They will also read how to present the information once it has been analyzed.

Using this information, students will create a checklist using a template and important points from the reading. They can complete this by cutting and pasting, handwriting, or completing a Google Slide activity.

Teachers can also opt to use the provided follow up questions to increase rigor. These questions can be used for early finishers, as a written assignment, or a starters for class discussions.

This activity aligns with 5th Grade Studies Weekly Week 3.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Student instructions.
• Informational text.
• Checklist template.
• Important points worksheet.
• Follow up questions.
• Answer Key.
• Link to Google Slide Activity.

How is this product useful:

• Low prep for teachers.
• Hands on activity keeps students engaged.
• Good reference for the rest of the year's research.
• Great information to help students research.

Students show creativity:

By researching and protesting the Acts of Parliament, students will use their creativity to explore and present those Acts which the colonists found unfair.

This activity focuses on early colonist resistance to British Rule in an engaging way. Students make a protest sign which explains the Act of Parliament and outlines this Act's unfairness to the colonists. Students can display for observation or give an oral presentation concerning their protest.

Following the study of the class's protest signs, students will complete a reflection sheet which guides students into higher level thinking concerning how these Acts of Parliament sowed the seeds of revolution.

Aligns with 5th Grade Studies Weekly Week 19

Aligns with Indiana Social Studies Standards 5.H.8 and 5.H.9.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Student directions.
• Rubrics (with and without oral presentation)
• Reflection questions worksheet.
• Protest sign templates in color and black and white.

How is this product useful:

• Low prep for teacher.
• Provided opportunity for creativity.
• Deeper level of thinking through reflection questions.
• Better understanding of causes of revolution.

We the People:

This activity concerning the Preamble of the Constitution is a quick review for students. Great for early finishers, bell ringers, or test review.

Students will review the phrases in the Preamble of the Constitution and place them in the correct order by numbering them. As students number the phrases correctly, a meme will be revealed. So, the activity is self-checking.

For a full set of Constitution activities check out this product:

RATIFYING THE CONSTITUTION STATIONS

Aligns with Indiana Social Studies Standard 5.C.1.

What's included:

• Google Slide activity.

How is this product useful:

• No prep for teachers.
• Engaging for students.
• Self-checking.
• Quick review of Preamble.

Making a state with the Northwest Ordinance:

To review the Northwest Ordinance and the requirements it outlined for formation of new states. Students love playing game and spoons is easy to learn and play. Students will need to gather all the requirements in order to gather a spoon to end a hand of the game.

Teachers will need to provide spoons to play the game and zipper bags for storage. If teachers use card stock or laminate cards, this can be used year to year.

This product is aligned to Indiana Social Studies Standard 5.C.3.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Student game instructions.
• Color game cards.
• Black and White game cards.

How is this product useful:

• Great review activity.
• Fun for students.
• Engaging.
• Simple prep for teachers.

Fun, Trading Game:

Students will explore the concept of trade routes and tariffs on trade routes along the Spice Road and then the New World.

Students will make trades with the Indies. Then they will then attempt to trade through the Ottoman Empire. Because of the struggle with the Ottoman Empire, they will then attempt to trade with the New World, the East Indies.

When the game is complete, students will complete a trade agreement and pay a final tariff. The student with the largest total at the end wins.

Students can answer questions concerning their game as individuals or as a class in discussion.

Covers Indiana Social Studies Standards 5.E.2, 5.E.5.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Game directions.
• Two sizes of game boards.
• Templates of products for printing.
• Discussion Questions.

How is this product useful:

• Competitive game, students love a competition.
• Represents trade barriers.
• Requires students to reach conclusions when reflecting.

Make rote memorization more engaging:

Students enjoy this engaging activity to practice naming the charter of the 13 colonies. Students are asked to name the charter (proprietary, company, or royal) of each colony. This information helps students understand why colonies developed in the way that they did.

Students have fun revealing the picture created using correct answers.

Self-checking as image is revealed by correct answers.

What's included:

• Google sheet of picture reveal.

How this product is useful:

• Engaging practice of naming the charters of the 13 colonies.
• Good for practice or remediation.
• Self-checking.
• Can be assigned in Google Classroom or through Google Drive.

Explore the Framers of the Constitution:

Students will research members of the Constitutional Convention who became framers of the Constitution. They will decide what was important to the different individuals who made up this group and tell if they were successful in their goals.

Students will review the work of classmates and then reach their own conclusions to answer extension questions which will lead to deeper thinking.

Aligns with Indiana 5th grade Social Studies Standard 5.H.15.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Information sheets for 7 Framers of the Constitution. (George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry)
• Extension Questions.
• Link to reputable source for research.

How is this product useful:

• Low prep for teacher.
• Students will engage in higher level thinking.
• Students respond to research.
• Insight on why the framers of the Constitution supported or didn't support the goals laid out by the Convention.

Engaging way to connect to the Bill of Rights:

Students will complete an activity making connects between the Declaration of Independence Grievances and the Bill of Rights. In the activity, students will be presented with a grievance and will have to enter the number of the Amendment it inspired.

Correct answers will reveal an image.

Easy to assign in Google Classroom or Google Drive.

This aligns with Indiana 5th Grade Social Studies Standard 5.H.16.

What's included:

• Google Slide Activity.

How is this product useful:

• No prep for the teacher.
• Self-checking.
• Fun and engaging for students.

Get students up and moving:

This activity gets students up to get or wait for crayons. All students are coloring a picture based on directions using a limited amount of crayons. The teacher brokers the use of crayons. Students will begin to understand the concept of supply and demand as they find the crayons they need are not available for their use and require them to wait. My students stuggledthe most with not sharing crayons with other students. Students can follow up with reflection questions that lead to a deeper level of knowledge.

An option extension explores the misunderstanding of land use that caused great difficulty between the Indigenous People and British Colonists. This extension demonstrates the Indigenous belief that the land couldn't be owned, just used and the British belief that land was to be owned, not just used. This optional part of the activity leads to interesting discussion. Students can follow up withe reflection questions that lead to a deeper level of knowledge.

These activities align with Indiana Social Studies standards 5.E.1, 5.E.5.

What's included:

• Teacher directions for both activities.
• Labelled color sheet.
• Reflection questions for each activity.

How is this product useful:

• Low prep for teacher.
• Hands on activity leads to better understanding.
• Meaningful extension activity.
• Enjoyable coloring opportunity.

Express a different point of view:

Students approach identifying and explaining the cooperation and conflict of the colonists and the indigenous people in Jamestown in a new way. They begin by presenting the thoughts and actions of the leaders of these two groups in thought bubbles. As an extension, the students evaluate what situations caused conflicts and speculate on how they may have handled the situations if they were present in Jamestown.

This approach requires students to be more creative than simply answering questions. Students can also research to find more in depth answers. This product is aligned with 5th grade Studies Weekly Week 13, American Foundations. However, this can be used as a stand alone assignment.

This product aligns with Indiana Social Studies standard 5.H.6.

What's included:

• Student instruction handout.
• Three versions of thought bubble worksheets.
• Further thinking questions.

How is this product useful:

• Creative approach.
• Encourages students to find a new point of view.
• Research opportunity.
• Inspires deeper level thinking.

Get up and get trading:

Students love getting up and interacting with this trade route activity. This activity supports the study of Indigenous People's trade routes, but can easy represent a variety of civilizations. Students loved having a goal and being able to barter with one another to succeed in that goal.

After completing the activity, students reflect on their experience and make connections to what makes a successful trade route. This helps students take prior knowledge and bridge it to historical learning.

My students loved this activity and had a great time bartering for resources.

This lesson covers Indiana Social Studies Standards 5.E.1, 5.E.2.

What's included:

• Instructions.
• Trade Route Map suggestion.
• Explanation worksheet.
• Record/Data Sheet.
• Resource cards.

How is this resource useful:

• Great collaborative activity.
• Easy prep.
• Student engagement is high.
• Makes an abstract concept concrete.
• Students will reach conclusions based on experience.

Make rote memorization more engaging:

Students enjoy this engaging activity to practice telling the region of the colony when given the colonies' name. Colonies are listed alphabetically, students enter either New England, Middle, or Southern as the region to which the colony belongs.

Students have fun revealing the picture created using correct answers. The extra challenge is that correct spelling is necessary for the image to be revealed.

Self-checking as image is revealed by correct answers.

Activity aligns with Indiana Social Studies Standard 5.H.7.

What's included:

• Google sheet of picture reveal.

How this product is useful:

• Engaging practice of naming the 13 colonies.
• Good for practice or remediation.
• Self-checking.
• Can be assigned in Google Classroom or through Google Drive.

Flexible and Fun Trading Game:

This flexible and fun trading game will help students better understand the struggles that Indigenous Peoples (Native Americans) had when trading with Europeans (French and British Colonists). The game can be played as a whole group with cards projected onto the board or as small groups with cards printed for each group.

Students take the role of Indigenous traders. Each round they must complete trades which change the resources in their possession. The end of each round has an event which affects what resources they have. Students who run out of resources must move to new territories suffering the consequences of leaving their own land.

Once the entire set of cards have been used, the trade season ends. Students then reflect on their survival and struggles throughout the trade season. They also think more critically about how trades affected the Indigenous populations.

This activity aligns with Indiana Social Studies Standard 5.H.6, 5.E.1, and 5.E.2.

What's included:

• Teacher instructions.
• Printable trade recording sheet.
• Printable game cards.
• Printable reflections sheet.
• Link to digital game cards, for whole group game play.

How is this product useful:

• Fun and engaging trade study.
• Students experience barriers to trade and consequences of trade.
• Students engage in higher level thinking with reflection worksheet.