Social Studies
5th and 6th Grade Social Studies at NZISD
STAR TREK
Upper Elementary
The final years before junior high.
These are the voyages of the 5th and 6th grade NZISD elementary students.
Its one-year mission: Students Taking Academic Responsibility To Reach Extreme Knowledge; to strive to do ones best in all classes; and to show respect toward all teachers, parents and classmates in and outside of school.
Email: groved@nzisd.org
Website: groved.wix.com/nzisd
Location: 11390 5th Street, North Zulch, TX
Phone: 936.399.1010
Please Check Out eStudiesWeekly
5th Grade Topics covered during the School Year.
How Did It All Begin?
Students will examine and understand the causes and effects of European exploration and colonization in the New World. They will discuss some major explorers and the settlement of early colonies such as St. Augustine.
Early English Settlements
Students will study the early settlements of Roanoke, Jamestown and Plymouth. They will explain the organization of early government in American colonies.
Comparing the New Colonies
Students will compare the New England, Middle and Southern colonies. They will also learn about Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson.
Tension Between the Colonies and Britain
Students will be able to determine causes and effects of the French and Indian War. They will also study why colonists were angered by some British laws.
Independence May Be the Only Answer
Students will study the conflict and events leading up to American independence. They will also learn about leaders Samuel Adams and George Washington.
Celebrate Freedom!
Students will be able to discuss ideas represented in the Declaration of Independence. They will study major battles of the Revolutionary War as well as the Treaty of Paris.
The Constitution and Bill of Rights
Students will learn about Shays’ Rebellion. They will understand how and why the Constitution and the Bill of Rights came to be. Students will discuss the rights given to
citizens by these documents.
Let's Review!
Students will review content learned in Newspapers 1 - 7.
Government of the People
Students will take an in-depth look at the Constitution and Bill of Rights. They will also learn how the Constitution is amended.
Looking to the West
Students will study the settlement of the west, the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They will also discuss Thomas Jefferson and the fur trade.
The War of 1812
Students will discuss causes and effects of the War of 1812. They will also learn about Uncle Sam and “The Star-Spangled Banner” as important pieces of American culture.
Industrial Revolution
Students will study major changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution. They will also study supply and demand and the consumer’s market in a free enterprise system.
Manifest Destiny and the Mexican War
Students will understand the concept of Manifest Destiny and study the causes and effects of the Mexican-American War. They will also learn about the Gadsden Purchase and the 1849 gold rush.
Immigration
Students will learn about immigration by looking at the experiences of Irish, German and Chinese immigrants. They will also discuss America’s relationship with American
Indians.
Industry Versus Agriculture
Students will observe the differences between life in the North and South in the 1800s. They will also study a population chart.
Let's Review!
Students will review content learned in Newspapers 9 - 15.
Trouble Between the States
Students will study the events that led up to the Civil War, including the compromises that attempted to keep the country together.
The Civil War
Students will study the beginning of the Civil War and learn about leaders Lee, Grant and Davis. Students will understand the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation.
The War Continues
Students will continue their study of the Civil War, including major battles and the final surrender.
Reconstruction
Students will discuss Reconstruction and the effects of the Civil War. Lincoln’s assassination and sharecropping will also be studied.
Changes in Industry and Transportation
Students will describe how the transcontinental railroad and improvements in communication and industry affected life after the Civil War.
Changing Times
Students will study the changes occurring during the turn of the 20th century. They will also learn about women’s suffrage, segregation and mass production.
World War I and The Great Depression
Students will review the United States’ involvement in WWI. They will study the characteristics of the Roaring ‘20s and understand the causes and effects of the Great Depression.
Let's Review!
Students will review content learned in Newspapers 17 - 23.
The New Deal
Students will study President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the elements of the New Deal. Students will compare Presidents Hoover and FDR and will learn about Mount Rushmore.
World War II
Students will study the United States’ participation in WWII. They will also learn about contributions made by the Tuskegee Airmen and the Navajo Code Talkers.
Two More Wars and The Space Race Begins
Students will discuss how life for Americans changed after WWII. They will study the Korean and Cold Wars and will examine the race to put men into space.
The Civil Rights Movement
Students will study the major leaders and events of the civil rights movement. They will also learn about the moon landing.
America The Superpower
Students will study the continuation of tensions between the U.S. and Russia, as well as oil and nuclear crises. They will also learn about Presidents Nixon and Reagan.
Technology Leads Us Into The 21st Century
Students will understand the role technology plays in contemporary society. They will also learn about Operation Desert Storm.
The War On Terror
Students will discuss the events of Sept. 11, 2001 and the war on terrorism. They will also learn about General Colin Powell and the election of Barack Obama.
Let's Review!
Students will review content learned in Newspapers 25 - 31.
6th Grade Topics Covered During the School Year
Planet Earth (Geography)
This week’s paper will focus on maps, mapmakers and geographic terms. Students will learn about the Continental Drift Theory of Alfred Wegener and the evidence he used to develop his theory. Articles will also discuss some of the
historic and modern man-made wonders on our planet.
Earth (Geography)
This week’s paper will focus on Earth’s natural wonders, as well as some amazing geographical facts and records. Students will learn about scientists who study people
archaeologists, historians, anthropologists, sociologists and political scientists.
Earliest Humans
This week’s paper will focus on the earliest peoples, beginning with the hunter-gatherers, discovery of fire and earliest weapons. Articles will also discuss major changes such domestication of animals, formation of settlements and the discovery of farming during Neolithic and Paleolithic Eras. Students will learn about how leisure time gave earliest humans time to devote to better weapons, shelter, clothing,
pottery and cave paintings.
Historic Times Begin
This week’s paper will focus on the earliest historic people. Articles will discuss Mesopotamia, Cuneiform writing, laws of Hannibal, and polytheism. Students will learn about the contributions of the Assyrians (first paved roads, postal system, etc.) and the Chaldeans (calendar with seven-day week, astronomy/astrology, etc.).
People of Phoenicia
This week’s paper will focus on the ancient Phoenicians who lived in present-day Lebanon. Articles will discuss sea traders of the Mediterranean, their ships, and the exploration of Hanna. Students will learn about the first alphabet, purple dye and other cultural advancements of the Phoenicians.
Life in Ancient Egypt
This week’s paper will focus on the ancient Egyptians and the development of their powerful culture. Articles will discuss the geography of Egypt, the importance of the Nile, religion and hieroglyphics. Students will learn about paper and other inventions and discoveries of the ancient Egyptians.
Pyramids
This week’s paper will focus on ancient leaders such as Hatshepsut, Ramses XI, and Tutankhamen, the Boy King. Articles will also discuss archaeologists Howard Carter, Dr. Kent Weeks and Jean-François Champollion, the man who cracked hieroglyphics. Students will also read about the ancient Egyptian architecture.
African Kingdoms
This week’s paper will focus on African kingdoms such as Kush, Ghana, Mali and Songhai. Articles will discuss the geography, architecture, culture and contributions of each kingdom.
Ancient Israelites
This week’s paper will focus on the history, culture and geography of the Israelites. Articles will dis-cuss Judaism, the history of the disputed land of Palestine, well-known people and their contributions to the world.
Ancient Greeks
This week’s paper will focus on the ancient Greeks, including the geography of Greece. Articles will discuss Sparta and Athens, the beginning of democratic government, and the Persian Wars. Students will read about the development of a
writing system through culture contact with the Phoenicians and the first Olympic Games.
Greek Civilization
This week’s paper will focus on the Golden Age of the Greeks, including the architecture of the time. Articles will discuss famous Greeks in history—philosophers and leaders such as Pericles, Socrates, Aesop, etc. Students will also learn
about the Peloponnesian War.
Alexander the Great
This week’s paper will focus on Alexander the Great and his Macedonian Empire. Articles will discuss architecture and the empire’s contributions to civilization, as well as its collapse. Students will use maps to study the extent and geography of the empire.
Ancient India
This week’s paper will focus on Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and the geography of India. Articles will discuss the civilizations and archaeological discoveries at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, the Aryans, Sanskrit, Caste System, as well as the Maurya and Gupta Empires. Students will learn about contributions made by these cultures.
Ancient China
This week’s paper will focus on Ancient China and dynastic rule, including the geography of China and how it was isolated from rest of world. Articles will discuss the Takla Makan Mummies, early writing system, Confucius, Laozi, the Great Wall, the Silk Road and Qin Shi Huangdi. Students will read about the contributions of ancient Chinese cultures to the world.
Ancient Japan
This issue will focus on the geography of Japan and how geography shaped its opinion of the outside world. Articles will discuss shoguns, samurai, culture and architecture of ancient Japan. Students will read about the contributions of
ancient Japanese cultures to the world.
Life in Rome
This week’s paper will focus on the early Romans, the Etruscan conquest and the spread of Greek ideas to the Romans. Articles will discuss government, religion,
architecture and the geography of Rome and Italy. Students will learn about Punic Wars and the increasing power of Rome.
Ancient Rome: Part II
This week’s paper will focus on the Golden Age of Rome. Articles will discuss the Pax Romana, famous Romans, the cities of Pompeii and Herculeum, and everyday life of citizens of the Roman Empire.
Barbarians
This week’s paper will focus on the Roman Empire, including Caesar, Constantine and Hadrian’s Wall. Articles will discuss the contributions of the empire to the world.
Students will read about the Romans’ clash with the Vikings in the British Isles and the barbarian invasions that led to the fall of Rome.
Christianity
This week’s paper will focus on Jesus Christ, the early Christians and the Christian Church. Students will read about monks and their contribution to keeping books alive and the Catacombs of Rome.
Islamic Empire
This week’s paper will focus on the geography of the Middle East, Mohammad and the spread of Islam. Students will learn about the Ottoman Empire and their contributions to science and math.
Middle Ages
This week’s paper will focus on the barbarians who came through Europe causing people to huddle for protection under the feudal system. Articles will discuss towns, money, diminishing trade and the fading of the Greek and Roman democratic ideals. Students will also read about life in a Castle.
Crusades Bring Change
This week’s paper will focus on the Catholic Church, the Crusades and how culture contact brought about huge change in Medieval Europe. Articles will discuss the end of the feudal system, the renewed interest in Greek and Roman ideas and how the rise of towns and guilds brought back democratic thinking again. Students will also read about the Magna Carta.
Age of Exploration
This week’s paper will focus on the brave people who went off to explore the world. Articles will discuss such explorers as Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus, whose
adventures made Europeans more and more curious about the world.
Maya, Aztec and Inca
This week’s paper will focus on the Mesoamerican Empire, including the Maya, Aztec and Inca civilizations. Articles will discuss the geography of the region and the end
of each civilization.
The Renaissance
This week’s paper will focus on the Renaissance. Articles will discuss famous people of the time and their contributions to the world in art, literature, architecture and knowledge.
Reformation
This week’s paper will focus on the change in the Catholic Church known as The Reformation. Articles will discuss Joan of Arc, Martin Luther and the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg.
Oceania
This week’s paper will focus on the oceanic peoples of the Pacific. Articles will discuss the contributions of Australian aborigines, Maori of New Zealand, Papuans of New Guinea and ancient Polynesians. Students will learn about contact with European explorers and archaeological finds that have increased out knowledge of these cultures.
Wrapping It Up (Culture, Geography)
This week’s paper will include additional information about the people and places that shaped the history of our world. Students will also have an opportunity to review and reinforce some of the material presented in earlier weeks.