Grade 5 Sample
Booklist
These are the books that are scheduled as part of the curriculum. I highly recommend
purchasing the books that are used more than a few weeks. It will save you much aggravation
to not have to deal with library fees and such.
All of these books are listed at the Build Your Library website with links to purchase.
History:
The First Americans: Prehistory-1600 A History of US Book 1
Making Thirteen Colonies: 1600-1740 A History of US Book 2
From Colonies to Country: 1735-1791 A History of US Book 3
The New Nation: 1789-1850 A History of US Book 4
Liberty for All?: 1820-1860 A History of US Book 5 (Spine – weeks 1 – 36)
Literature:
Children of the Longhouse (week 1)
Around the World in a Hundred Years: From Henry the Navigator to Magellan (week 3)
Bridge to Terabithia (week 6)
Blood on the River: James Town, 1607 (week 9)
The Hobbit or There and Back Again (week 12)
Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison (week 16)
My Brother Sam Is Dead (week 20)
The Sherwood Ring (week 23)
Fever 1793 (week 26)
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (The Wolves Chronicles) (week 29)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Dover Thrift Editions) (week 32)
Poetry:
Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost (weeks 1 – 12)
Poetry for Young People: Emily Dickinson (weeks 13 – 24)
Poetry for Young People: Walt Whitman (weeks 25 – 36)
Readers:
Sees Behind Trees (week 1)
Pedro's Journal: A Voyage with Christopher Columbus, August 3, 1492-February 14, 1493
(week 3)
Owls in the Family (week 4)
The Double Life of Pocahontas (week 7)
Tuck Everlasting (week 8)
The Adventurous Life of Myles Standish and the Amazing-but-True Survival Story of Plymouth
Colony: Barbary Pirates, the Mayflower, the First ... Much, Much More (Cheryl Harness
Histories) (week 10)
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Grade 5 Sample
Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos (week 13)
The Sign of the Beaver (week 15)
A Week in the Woods (week 14)
Johnny Tremain (week 19)
George vs. George: The American Revolution As Seen from Both Sides (week 23)
My Side of the Mountain (week 24)
American Tall Tales (Puffin Books) (week 26)
How We Crossed The West: The Adventures Of Lewis And Clark (week 26)
Justin Morgan Had a Horse (week 28)
The Green Book (week 31)
By the Great Horn Spoon! (week 32)
Brady (week 35)
Science:
Elemental Science: Biology for the Logic Stage (Lesson plans and books can be purchased here:
http://www.elementalscience.com/biology-for-the-logic-stage/
Art:
Great American Artists for Kids: Hands-On Art Experiences in the Styles of Great American
Masters (Bright Ideas for Learning)
Optional reference for the state pages:
Don't Know Much About the 50 States
OR
The United States of America: A State-by-State Guide
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Grade 5 Sample
Documentaries:
National Geographic: America Before Columbus (Week 5)
National Geographic - The New World: Nightmare in Jamestown (Week 8)
Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower (Week 10)
Salem Witch Trials (History Channel) (Week 11)
Liberty's Kids: Complete Series (Week 19)
Liberty! The American Revolution (Week 22)
Lewis & Clark - The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (Week 26)
The History Channel Presents The War of 1812 (Week 27)
We Shall Remain Disc 2 (Week 29)
Taming the Wild West: Legend of Jedediah Smith (Week 31)
The History Channel Presents The Alamo (Week 32)
American Experience - The Gold Rush (Week 32)
AMEX: Into the Deep: America, Whaling & the World (Week 33)
The Little House on the Prairie (Week 34)
Mill Times (Week 35)
Slavery and the Making of America (Week 36)
A note about the documentaries linked through
Amazon.com:
Please do not think you need to purchase all of the DVDs I linked in the lesson plans. They can
easily be found in your local library, through Netflix, or another movie rental chain. I linked
them through Amazon.com so you can see exactly what documentary I’m referring too, as
many have similar or even the same name. Also, if you child does not enjoy historical
documentaries, do not feel you must make them watch every single one. That would defeat the
purpose. Maybe choose one that you think they might be interested in (it helps if they are
interested in the subject matter).
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Grade 5 Sample
American History, Part 1
Week 2
Day 1
History
The First
Americans
Poetry
Poetry for
Young
People:
Robert
Frost
Literature
Children of
the
Longhouse
Chapter 7
Day 2
Chapter 8
Day 3
Chapter 9
Day 4
Day 5
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Written
summary
Intro – read the
rest of pg. 4;
pg. 10 - 11
Pg. 12
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8 – 9
Chapter 10
Reader
Sees
Behind
Trees
Science
Elemental
Science:
Biology for
the Logic
Stage
(Unit 1)
Language
Arts
Chapter 6 pg.
68 – 74
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Art
Great
American
Artists for
Kids
Artist: John
Singleton
Copely
Complete
experiment;
enter dates;
define terms
Narration Card
Week 2
Reading
writing; sketch
Dictation
Grade 5 http://buildyourlibrary.com
Narration Card
Chapter 11
Additional
readings; want
more activity
Dictation
Narration Card
Pg. 14 – 15
Narrative
Drama
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Grade 5 Sample
American History, Part 1
Week 2 - Day 1
History Reading:
The First Americans – read chapter 7
Key Idea/Topic – Northwest Indian Tribes
History Activity:
Continue the Interview a Native research project
Literature:
Children of the Longhouse – read chapter 6
Reader:
Sees Behind Trees – read chapter 6 pages 68 – 74 and choose a narration card to complete.
Dictation Passage:
It was widely accepted that one could never tell another person what they should or
should not do. If they attempted to do something that they shouldn’t, then they would learn
soon enough why it was not a good thing to do.
Memory Work:
Begin memorizing the poem Rose Pogonias by Robert Frost (pg. 9) (Your child will have 2 weeks
to learn this poem.)
Science:
Complete the experiment and fill out the experiment sheet (SG pg. 25 – 26); enter the dates on
the date sheet (SG pg. 9 – 12) and define the terms listed in the student guide. (SG pg. 15).
Art:
This week you will be studying the art and style of John Singleton Copely. You can see a gallery
of his paintings here: http://www.johnsingletoncopley.org/ I recommend choosing a few
paintings to study in depth. Have your child look at the painting for a few minutes and then,
without looking at the painting, describe it to you. Do this at least twice this week and do the
same process for every artist studied this year.
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Grade 5 Sample
American History, Part 1
Week 2 - Day 2
History Reading:
The First Americans – read chapter 8
Key Idea/Topic – Overview of Native tribes
Literature:
Children of the Longhouse – read chapter 7
Note and Vocabulary:
delegated- to entrust to another
 What is a wampum? What does it look like?
Poetry:
Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost – cont. reading the introduction and finish page 4. Read
The Tuft of Flowers on pages 10 – 11.
Reader:
Sees Behind Trees – read chapter 7
Dictation:
Complete the dictation passage.
Memory Work:
Continue memorizing the poem Rose Pogonias by Robert Frost.
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Grade 5 Sample
American History, Part 1
Week 2 - Day 3
History Reading:
The First Americans – read chapter 9
Key Idea/Topic – Plains Indians tribes
History Activity:
Continue the Interview a Native research project.
Literature:
Children of the Longhouse – read chapters 8 – 9
Notes and Vocabulary:
sinew – tendon, especially one prepared for use as cord or thread.
 Tekwaarathon is very similar to Lacrosse, which is still played by many people today.
Here is a video of a lacrosse stick being made in the traditional way described in the book:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6pU2gBMXCo
Reader:
Sees Behind Trees – read chapter 8 and choose a narration card to complete.
Dictation Passage:
Even though he was very old, his voice was still deep and strong and it rumbled like the sound of
the thunder from overhead.
Memory Work:
Continue memorizing the poem Rose Pogonias by Robert Frost.
Science:
Complete the Week 2 reading and discuss.
Color and label the sketch (SG pg. 24).
Art:
Great American Artists for Kids pages 14 – 15 – read about John Singleton Copely and complete
the art project Narrative Drama.
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Grade 5 Sample
American History, Part 1
Week 2 - Day 4
History Reading:
The First Americans – read chapter 10
Key Idea/Topic – The Mound Builders (around Ohio)
History Activity:
Continue the Interview a Native research project.
Literature:
Children of the Longhouse – read chapter 10
Reader:
Sees Behind Trees – read chapter 9
Poetry:
Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost – pg. 12
Dictation:
Complete dictation passage.
Memory Work:
Continue memorizing the poem Rose Pogonias by Robert Frost.
Art:
If necessary, complete your project today.
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Grade 5 Sample
American History, Part 1
Week 2 - Day 5
History Reading:
The First Americans – read chapter 11
Key Idea/Topic – The Iroquois
History Activity:
 Continue the Interview a Native research project.
 Choose a topic from this week’s studies and write a summary.
Literature:
Children of the Longhouse – read chapter 11
Note and Vocabulary:
feinted – a pretended blow or attack at one point in order to distract attention from the point
one really intends to attack
Memory Work:
Continue to memorize the poem Rose Pogonias by Robert Frost.
Science:
Read any additional readings and complete a Want More activity.
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Grade 5 Sample
Interview a Native
What is the name of your tribe?
What is your favorite thing to eat?
What does your home look like? (Draw a picture)
What sorts of jobs do people in your tribe have?
What is the land like where you live?
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