- Compare our school handbook to the United States Constitution.
- Discuss the Declaration of Independence and the phrase, "All men our created equal."
- Create personal timelines that demonstrate each individual student's past (before they were born), present, and future plans to demonstrate that the past affects the future.
- Read the story, James Printer, A Novel of Rebellion, to depict colonial times, review story elements, and focus on elements of character.
With each initial lesson, we'll embed the language and intent of the standards, and use statistics to create a lens with which to understand and compare the time periods we are studying with current times.
History of Humans
Each year I begin the year by telling students a brief history of humans including the biology and politics of skin shade and racism. I emphasize the fact that humans are always evolving and changing. Conflicts continue to exist, and that with teamwork, respect for one another, learning, and creativity we can solve the problems that exist and better our conditions. I also emphasize that no prejudice of any kind is allowed in the classroom--this emphasis creates a safe and welcoming environment for all students right away at the start of the school year.
James Printer, a Novel of Rebellion
To embed the new history and social studies standards, our first historical fiction read aloud will be the historic fiction story about James Printer, an American Indian printer apprentice who lived during the King Philip's War. The story is told through the experience of an 11-year-old English colonist from Cambridge, Bartholomew Green. During the story, we'll focus on the Massachusetts' fifth grade framework's central question related to the colonial period which is highlighted above. We'll also zero in on the following questions and information:
- What is a colony and colonization? Why did this happen?
- How many people lived in Massachusetts at the time of this story (~30,000)? How many were Native Americans (~3,000) and how many were African Americans (less than 200)? (Note that prior to European colonization in the 17th century, there were as many as 30,000 Native Americans in Massachusetts belonging mainly to the Wampanoag, Pequot, Nipmuck, and the Massachuset tribes.
- What is slavery, and how did slavery exist in 17th century Massachusetts? Massachusetts was the first slave holding colony in New England. In 1638 a slave-holding ship named Desire brought Africans to Massachusetts from Barbados and exchanged them for enslaved Pequot people who were sent to Barbados. In 1641 slavery was legalized in Massachusetts. Slavery officially ended in Massachusetts in the 1780's. (reference).
- What were the main European groups in American at that time? The Puritans who arrived in 1629 were a main group in Massachusetts, a group with strict laws and a group that wanted to convert the Native Americans to Christianity? Converting to Christianity for the Native Americans meant giving up their language, severing kinship ties with other Natives, and abandoning their homes (reference).
- What specifically happened during the Pequot War of 1637 and the King Philip's War of 1675?
Comparing our school handbook with the United States Constitution
At the start of the year students are expected to review the student handbook. As we review the handbook, we'll focus on the following questions:
- What is a constitution? How is this similar and different than a school handbook?
- How are rules and laws similar and different?
- What are individual rights? Does our handbook include individual rights?
- What is responsibility? Does our handbook explicitly outline students' responsibility?
- What does the "general welfare" mean? Does our handbook represent the general welfare of all people in the school community?
- What is a representative democracy? Is our classroom and school a representative democracy?When is this true and when is this not true?
Later students will study the history of the Constitution, read and study the preamble, and examine the Bill of Rights.
Discuss the Declaration of Independence and the statement "All men are created equal."
First students will engage in a brief introduction to the history and migration of humans. They will learn about both the biology and politics of skin shade over time and discuss the impact of racism. Similarly they will review the big picture history of the United States, and watch a short video about the Declaration of Independence. They will read the Declaration with the teacher and focus on the statement "All men are created equal." As students review and discuss that statement, they will discuss the following questions:
- What was America like when Thomas Jefferson wrote The Declaration of Independence?
- Were all people treated equally at that time? Which people had more power, and which people had less and why?
- What did Jefferson mean by his phrase, "All men are created equal?"
- How might we rephrase that for today's world, and today's United States' government and people?
- How is Jefferson's intent demonstrated in our classroom/school community? What kinds of actions and messages make his intent come alive in our community in positive ways?
