5th Grade Literature/Social Studies Integrated Unit

One thing I am particularly proud of is the Explorer Unit I taught through literature. We made "story maps" (shown in picture) that included the title, setting, characters, conflicts, and outcomes of the read-aloud book, Morning Girl by Michael Dorris. While setting boundaries but allowing for much creativity, the maps turned out to be the most simple, but also a favorite part of the unit. The Explorer Unit also covered research on specific explorers, interviews from the perspective of researched explorers (equipped with a time machine made out of a dryer box), the study of similes and metaphors, and several lessons on multiple perspectives; focusing on the Native Americans living in North America.