5th grade history research topics

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Not Even Past

Learning from U.S. History: A Fifth Grade Social Studies Curriculum

By Daina Ramey Berry and Jennifer Keys Adair

From the editors: As we approach the beginning of a new academic year, Not Even Past is delighted to introduce an important new resource for the teaching of History. Learning from US History: A Fifth Grade Social Studies Curriculum was designed and developed by two UT Professors, Dr. Daina Ramey Berry and Dr. Jennifer Keys Adair , and a doctoral student: Erin Green, MA.

This fifth grade U.S. history curriculum is built upon primary sources and is an alternative to textbooks that are often one-sided or politicized. This curriculum is one example of how historians and educators can work together to de-center a singular perspective and to offer elementary social studies with greater historical accuracy. This is a work-in-progress curriculum that will change as new primary sources emerge and historical interpretations shift.

The full curriculum can be accessed here .

Unit One : Native American and Indigenous Conceptions and Care for the Land now known as the United States of America (4 Weeks)

Unit Two : Native American Nation/Community Research Project (2 Weeks)

Unit Three : Freedom in Central and West Africa and the entrance of White Supremacy (2 Weeks)

Unit Four : American Colonies Past and Present (2 weeks)

Unit Five : The Transatlantic Slave Trade (3 weeks)

Unit Six : The American Revolution (3 weeks)

Unit Seven : The Constitution (3 weeks)

Unit Eight : Resistance to Enslavement (3 weeks)

Unit Nine : The Civil War (3 weeks)

Unit Ten : Moving People and Shifting Boundaries (5 weeks)

Unit Eleven : Im/migration (4 Weeks)

Special Unit : Elections (1 week)

Special Unit : Thanksgiving

Lesson Plan Example

Authors/Curators

Daina Ramey Berry, PhD • Oliver H. Radkey Regents Professor • Chair, Department of History (UT Austin). Professor Berry is one of the most sought-after speakers and consultants for public-facing projects offered by museums, historical sites, K-12 educational initiatives, news media, and television including NBC, PBS News Hour, NPR, New York Times and The Atlantic. She has authored many award-winning books including, The Price for Their Pound of Flesh (Beacon, 2017) and A Black Women’s History of the United States co-authored with Kali Nicole Gross (Beacon, 2020).

Jennifer Keys Adair, PhD • Assoc. Prof. of Curriculum and Instruction • Director, AYCRC (UT Austin). Dr. Adair’s teaching and research is focused on improving children’s learning experiences at school. Her work has been published and cited in a wide range of journals including Harvard Educational Review and Teachers College Record as well as 40+ media outlets including NPR, Washington Post and CNN. She is the co-author with Kiyomi Sánchez-Suzuki Colegrove of Segregation by Experience: Agency, Racism and Early Learning (University of Chicago Press, 2021).

Erin Green, M.A . • Erin Green is a doctoral researcher in Curriculum and Instruction, focusing on Social Studies Education. Her growing research interests include critical elementary social studies, critical literacy, and civic education. She is a former fifth grade teacher and is passionate about critical, anti-racist social studies education for young learners.

The views and opinions expressed in this article or video are those of the individual author(s) or presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of the editors at Not Even Past, the UT Department of History, the University of Texas at Austin, or the UT System Board of Regents. Not Even Past is an online public history magazine rather than a peer-reviewed academic journal. While we make efforts to ensure that factual information in articles was obtained from reliable sources, Not Even Past is not responsible for any errors or omissions.  

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Your fifth grader and social studies

by: The GreatSchools Editorial Team | Updated: January 16, 2023

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Who recalls the dates of the Byzantine Empire? Or that the Ohlone Indians spoke one of the Utian languages? Details from social studies are easy to forget once we graduate to the real world. Still, such primers in history, geography, politics, and anthropology are crucial to our children’s education, even as early as the fifth grade.

How do you know if your child’s social studies curriculum stacks up? Check out our grade-by-grade milestones to understand your state and national standards .

In the fifth-grade classroom

Fifth-graders focus on the United States. Students begin with Native Americans, then study the 13 colonies, the American Revolution, the Civil War, and the building of a new nation. Because social studies includes the study of history, geography, economics, and civics, it is often integrated with other areas of the curriculum. For example, students might be expected to recreate a colonial-era newspaper for a language arts assignment, while a science lesson might focus on how Native Americans grew corn.

Students learn to explore cause-and-effect relationships; compare past and present events; and make and use timelines, graphs, charts, and maps to interpret historical data. Technology is often integrated, as students use the Internet to facilitate their learning.

Personal connections

Tonya Breland, a teacher who received the Milken Foundation National Educator Award, stresses the need to integrate social studies with children’s own experiences. “Children enjoy learning social studies most when it relates to their personal lives,” she says. “As they learn about the history of their state and the early history of our country, it is important that they see the connection to their own life and culture. Social studies is inclusive of culture, customs, traditions, and history.”

History of Native Americans

Children should learn about the Native Americans who lived throughout North America, studying their crops, hunting traditions, homes and structures, trading practices, and rituals and ceremonies.

Fifth-graders should understand how the geography of regions influenced the way tribes lived. Your child may read tales and creation myths and visit museums and art galleries to see Native American artifacts and paintings.

Early explorers

Fifth-graders learn about our country’s earliest explorers — their backgrounds, hardships, and motivations. Students should plan on comparing Native Americans to the explorers and understanding the impact the explorers had on Native cultures. They may chart the arrival of the explorers with a timeline and draw their routes on a map. Your child’s class may also study the westward movement.

Colonial connection

Students learn about the 13 colonies, including the story of how they were settled, the challenges colonists faced, and the routines of everyday life. Children learn about early settlers including John Smith and William Penn. Many teachers compare the individual colonies as well as colonial and modern-day life. Kids learn about the origins and development of slavery and the colonists’ relationship with Native Americans. Classes might perform plays depicting early colonial life or organize a trade fair.

The American Revolution

The American Revolution plays a central role in a fifth-grader’s education. Children should learn to explore the causes of the revolution, looking at the events and individuals involved, maybe looking at political cartoons from the time period or researching revolutionary leaders. Students will learn how the revolution was fought and won by studying its most important battles. Your child should be able to understand the difference between Loyalists (those who remained loyal to England) and Patriots (those who wanted independence). By reading historical novels and biographies from the time period, students can better understand the context surrounding the Declaration of Independence. Children might also participate in a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party or the ride of Paul Revere, and explore their effects on American history.

Establishing the new nation

Students should learn how a new nation grapples with the task of establishing itself by exploring the way the founders resolved problems. Your child might research the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Students will learn about the three branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial) and study the inauguration of the first president, the development of the first political parties, and the way the nation’s standing in the world was affected by diplomacy and war. Children should be able to cite the contributions of major political leaders including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. They should map the expansion of the country and learn about the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, and pioneer life. Students might participate in a town meeting by discussing real problems and trying to solve them.

Civil War and Reconstruction

When it comes to the Civil War, students in fifth grade should be able to explain the causes, major events, and consequences. They’ll learn about key people, like Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses Grant, and important documents, such as the Emancipation Proclamation and Constitutional Amendments 13, 14, and 15. Teachers should include a lesson on Reconstruction plans and the social and economic impact of slavery. Students may take part in a debate of the war and read letters and biographies from the time.

Current events

Current events are front and center in many classrooms — children examine the news using TV programs, newspapers, or the Internet. Classrooms might discuss how  events affect life, now and in the future, and may compare them to past events. Discussing current events r aises students’ awareness of the world around them and helps them connect the present with history and with information learned in other subjects. Being conversant with current events improves students’ ability to think critically and analytically. Their comprehension of nonfiction topics will also be enhanced, not to mention their motivation to be a lifelong reader.

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History Topics - Fifth 5th Grade Social Studies

5th Grade Social Studies Standards - History Links verified on 9/17/2014 Standards 5.5.1 Pre-Civil War - Interpret sectional differences in the North and South in pre-Civil War (i.e., a map of Union, Confederate, and border-states; pictorial representations of crop production; reading timelines; and interpreting bar graphs showing human, natural, and man-made resources). 5.5.2 Leaders - Recognize military and nonmilitary leaders from the North and South during Civil War (i.e., Frederick Douglass, Clara Barton, Chief Justice Roger Taney, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis). 5.5.3 Timelines - Interpret timelines that depict major historical post-Civil War events. 5.5.4 Worker's Rights - Recognize the rights that workers fought for in the late 1800's (i.e., wages, hours, insurance, and working conditions). 5.5.5 World War II - Interpret a visual contrasting life before and after World War II (i.e., education, family size,transportation, urbanization, and the role of women). 5.5.6 Hardships - Determine the hardships encountered by Greater Plain settlers in the late 1800's (i.e., building materials, natural geography, climatic conditions, isolated communities, and lack of revenue). 5.5.7 Primary Source - Interpret a primary reading sample. 5.5.8 Civil Rights - Recognize examples of how the United States confronted Civil Rights issues (i.e., Brown vs. Board of Education, Montgomery Bus Boycott, Birmingham Civil Rights March, American Indian Movement [AIM], and the Civil Rights Act of 1964).

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Themes to Write a History Research Report in the 5th Grade

Michael alpert.

By studying the exploration of the Western Hemisphere, the consequences of this search and the establishment of different governments, fifth graders can begin to make sense of their own world and past through well-researched reports and gain historical context of their country and culture.

Explore this article

• The Discoverers
• American Identity
• Cultural Diversity
• Legacy of the Past

1 The Discoverers

Fifth graders should analyze explorers of the Western Hemisphere as part of social studies in that grade level, says the Mississippi Department of Education. Early explorers, like the Vikings, could be researched in terms of when they reached the North American continent and by what route. Moving forward through history, fifth graders could also consider the consequences of exploration. For example, reports might delve into how Native Americans were affected by explorers like Christopher Columbus, Hernando Cortes and Juan Ponce de Leon.

2 American Identity

Many states, like Kansas, require fifth grade students to focus on the process of America establishing its independence from Britain. Being separated by the Atlantic Ocean, America developed an identity that was distinct from Britain and then began to reject certain British policies that sought to establish influence and control. Doing a research paper centering on certain events, like the Boston Tea Party, the Stamp Act or the French and Indian War, helps fifth graders learn the context of America's struggle to establish its own identity and ultimately declare its independence from a mighty colonial power of the time.

3 Cultural Diversity

The cultural history of the Western Hemisphere is rich, with British, Spanish, French and Native American influences. North Carolina's state standards, for example, seek to help fifth graders to understand these cultures through the study of myths, games, songs and types of art of North, Central and South America. By comparing and contrasting the cultural differences between these areas in a research paper, students develop a working knowledge of each specific region based on its culture.

4 Legacy of the Past

Like many states, Washington focuses on the exploration of the Western Hemisphere and the founding of the United States in the fifth grade and requires students to examine the legacy of these events and how they impact our lives today. A report dealing with how important historic documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, affect current public policy would be an appropriate choice for a fifth-grader. Additionally, the concept of "no taxation without representation" could be looked at to help understand current public opinion of federal and state taxes.

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Finally, a guide for upper elementary teachers that will show you how to teach research reports in a step-by-step format!

If you are struggling with teaching the research report process, you are not alone. Seriously, we’ve all been there!

I spent several years avoiding research reports for my 5th grade writers or simply depending on the Library-Media Specialist to teach the research process.

One year, I decided to take the plunge and teach my students how to research a topic and write a research report.

The process was clunky at first, but I learned a lot about how students approach research and how to guide them from choosing a topic to completing their final copies.

Before we discuss the HOW , let’s talk about the WHY .

Why You Should Be Assigning Research Reports to Your 5th and 6th Grade Students

I have three main reasons for assigning research reports to my students.

First, the skill involved in finding reliable sources and citing sources is valuable.

Beginning in 5th grade, and possibly even before, students need to be able to discern the reliability of a source . They should be able to spot propaganda and distinguish between reputable sources and phony ones.

Teaching the procedure for citing sources is important because my 5th grade students need to grasp the reality of plagiarism and how to avoid it.

By providing information about the sources they used, students are consciously avoiding copying the work of authors and learning to give credit where credit is due.

Second, by taking notes and organizing their notes into an outline, students are exercising their ability to find main ideas and corresponding details.

Being able to organize ideas is crucial for young writers.

Third, when writing research reports, students are internalizing the writing process, including organizing, writing a rough draft, proofreading/editing, and writing a final draft.

When students write research reports about topics of interest, they are fine-tuning their reading and writing skills.

How to Teach Step-By-Step Research Reports in Grades 5 & 6

As a veteran upper elementary teacher, I know exactly what is going to happen when I tell my students that we are going to start research reports.

There will be a resounding groan followed by students voicing their displeasure. (It goes something like this…. “Mrs. Bazzit! That’s too haaaaaaard!” or “Ugh. That’s boring!” *Sigh*  I’ve heard it all, lol.)

This is when I put on my (somewhat fictional) excited teacher hat and help them to realize that the research report process will be fun and interesting.

Step 1: Help Students to Choose a Topic and Cite Sources for Research Reports

Students definitely get excited when they find out they are allowed to choose their own research topic. Providing choice leads to higher engagement and interest.

It’s best practice to provide a list of possible research topics to students, but also allow them to choose a different topic.

Be sure to make your research topics narrow to help students focus on sources. If students choose broad topics, the sources they find will overwhelm them with information.

Too Broad: American Revolution

Just Right: The Battle of Yorktown

Too Broad: Ocean Life

Just Right: Great White Shark

Too Broad: Important Women in History

Just Right: The Life of Abigail Adams

Be sure to discuss appropriate, reliable sources with students.

I suggest projecting several examples of internet sources on your technology board. Ask students to decide if the sources look reliable or unreliable.

While teaching students about citing sources, it’s a great time to discuss plagiarism and ways to avoid it.

Students should never copy the words of an author unless they are properly quoting the text.

In fact, I usually discourage students from quoting their sources in their research reports. In my experience, students will try to quote a great deal of text and will border on plagiarism.

I prefer to see students paraphrase from their sources because this skill helps them to refine their summarization skills.

Citing sources is not as hard as it sounds! I find that my students generally use books and internet sources, so those are the two types of citations that I focus on.

How to cite a book:

Author’s last name, First name. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Date.

How to cite an internet article:

Author’s last name, First name (if available). “Title of Article or Page.” Full http address, Date of access.

If you continue reading to the bottom of this post, I have created one free screencast for each of the five steps of the research process!

Step 2: Research Reports: Take Notes

During this step, students will use their sources to take notes.

I do provide instruction and examples during this step because from experience, I know that students will think every piece of information from each source is important and they will copy long passages from each source.

I teach students that taking notes is an exercise in main idea and details. They should read the source, write down the main idea, and list several details to support the main idea.

I encourage my students NOT to copy information from the source but instead to put the information in their own words. They will be less likely to plagiarize if their notes already contain their own words.

Additionally, during this step, I ask students to write a one-sentence thesis statement. I teach students that a thesis statement tells the main point of their research reports.

Their entire research report will support the thesis statement, so the thesis statement is actually a great way to help students maintain a laser focus on their research topic.

Step 3: Make a Research Report Outline

Making an outline can be intimidating for students, especially if they’ve never used this organization format.

However, this valuable step will teach students to organize their notes into the order that will be used to write the rough draft of their reports.

Because making an outline is usually a new concept for my 5th graders, we do 2-3 examples together before I allow students to make their outlines for their research reports.

I recommend copying an outline template for students to have at their fingertips while creating their first outline.

Be sure to look over students’ outlines for organization, order, and accuracy before allowing them to move on to the next step (writing rough drafts).

Step 4: Write a Research Report Draft

During this step, each student will write a rough draft of his/her research report.

If they completed their outlines correctly, this step will be fairly simple.

Students will write their research reports in paragraph form.

One problem that is common among my students is that instead of writing in paragraphs, they write their sentences in list format.

I find that it’s helpful to write a paragraph in front of and with students to remind them that when writing a paragraph, the next sentence begins immediately after the prior sentence.

Once students’ rough drafts are completed, it’s time to proofread/edit!

To begin, I ask my students to read their drafts aloud to listen for their own mistakes.

Next, I ask my students to have two individuals look over their draft and suggest changes.

Step 5: Research Reports – Students Will Write Their Final Drafts! 

It’s finally time to write final drafts!

After students have completed their rough drafts and made edits, I ask them to write final drafts.

Students’ final drafts should be as close to perfect as possible.

I prefer a typed final draft because students will have access to a spellchecker and other features that will make it easier to create their final draft.

Think of a creative way to display the finished product, because they will be SO proud of their research reports after all the hard work that went into creating them!

When grading the reports, use a rubric similar to the one shown in the image at the beginning of this section.

A detailed rubric will help students to clearly see their successes and areas of needed improvement.

Once students have completed their first research projects, I find that they have a much easier time with the other research topics assigned throughout the remainder of the school year.

If you are interested in a no-prep, step-by-step research report instructional unit, please click here to visit my Research Report Instructional Unit for 5th Grade and 6th Grade. 

This instructional unit will guide students step-by-step through the research process, including locating reliable sources, taking notes, creating an outline, writing a report, and making a “works cited” page.

I’d like to share a very special free resource with you. I created five screencast videos, one for each step of the research report process. These screencasts pair perfectly with my Research Report Instructional Unit for 5th Grade and 6th Grade! 

Research Report Step 1 Screencast

Research Report Step 2 Screencast

Research Report Step 3 Screencast

Research Report Step 4 Screencast

Research Report Step 5 Screencast

To keep this post for later, simply save this image to your teacher Pinterest board!

Hi, If i purchase your complete package on grade 5/6 writing does it come with your wonderful recordings on how to teach them? Thanks

Hi Gail! The recordings on this blog post can be used by anyone and I will leave them up 🙂 The writing bundle doesn’t come with any recordings but I did include step-by-step instructions for teachers. I hope this helps!

Thank you for sharing your information with everyone. I know how to write (I think, haha), but I wanted to really set my students up for success with their research and writing. Your directions and guides are just what I needed to jar my memory and help my students become original writers. Be blessed.

You are very welcome, Andrea! Thank you for this comment 🙂

Hi Andrea, I am a veteran teacher who has taught nothing but primary for 25 years. However, this is my first year in 5th. I’m so excited to have found your post. Can you direct me to how I can purchase your entire bundle for writing a 5-paragraph essay. Thanks, Sue

Sure, Susan, I can help with that! Here is the link for the 5th Grade Writing Bundle: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/5th-Grade-Writing-Bundle-3611643

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Social Studies: 5th Grade

Use these engaging activities to help your 5th grader with the new social studies topics covered in 5th grade..

In most schools, 5th grade curriculum focuses on United States history, beginning with the colonization of America and possibly continuing through the 20th century. As 5th graders study social studies, they are taught to analyze the reasons behind events, make connections, and compare. As in other grades, since most social studies curricula are specific to a location, consult your child’s teacher or your state’s social studies standards to find out which specific communities and aspects of the community will be covered.

In order to build social studies skills, your 5th grader :

• Writes about what he learns through a traditional essay format.
• Uses primary sources and different types of media (such as film and art) to learn about historical events.
• Learns about historical events through the context of geography and how it affected different events.
• Researches, organizes, and presents her research on various topics, events, and figures.
• Discusses topics, focusing on using specific details, facts, and reasons to support his opinion.
• Uses technology to research both past and current events and topics. 
• Deepens his understanding of government and civic responsibility.

Social Studies Activities

• Learn your Community’s History : Help your child research what the place you lived in was like during a time she is studying. Look online or visit the local library to find this information. You may even be able to find old pictures or other information about either your house or the land on which you live. Learn the history of where you live. Compare the differences between your community, past and present.
• Find Historical Artifacts : Visit museums, libraries, or even relatives' or friends’ homes to find objects from the early 20th century that may have been used during the time your child studies.
• Interview Historical Figures : Since your 5th grader may study modern history from the 20 century, you may know someone who experienced a historical event covered in school. Your child can interview this person and then create a project (such as a written piece or a TV show) about the person he interviews. This can be particularly meaningful for your child if the person he interviews is in your family and shares your family history with him.
• Map it Out : Find a place nearby that has historical significance. Visit that place with a map and trace out the event. If you are unable to go somewhere, use an online resource and map out where an important historical event your child learned about occurred. Trace a journey or trip from history. 

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5th Grade Revolutionary War research Project: Home

5th grade revolutionary war figures, student resources.

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5th GRADE Revolutionary War Research Project

This guide contains primary source resources for the following 5th grade social studies topic,, important figures of the revolutionary war, link to the revolutionary war research project, link to the revolutionary war research project, quick list of important figures, web sites - important figures of the american revolutionary war.

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A Black History Month Research Project for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade

A Black History Month Research Project is a great way to help your students learn more about and celebrate the impact African Americans have made to the United States.  It's also a good way to help students learn about obstacles African Americans have had to face in this country.  But having 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students conduct research and complete a project based on that research can be an overwhelming task.

Scaffolding this process is essential in order for your students to be successful - and for them to actually stay engaged and excited!

After I fine-tuned the process, this Black History Month Research Project was one of my students' favorite projects all year.  It included researching a famous African American, writing an essay, creating a timeline of their life, and labeling a map.  The upper elementary students remained engaged throughout the entire project and were always very proud of the outcome!

Choosing an African American Hero to Research

Part of making a Black History Month Project meaningful is exposing students to people that they might not be familiar with.  If you let 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students choose who they want to research, you'll probably find that everyone wants to research Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, or Barack Obama.

Instead of simply letting students choose people they are already familiar with, collect a variety of biographies on different African Americans - or find some  kid-friendly biographies online.

Do whatever works for your classroom, as long as you give students an opportunity to introduce themselves to different African Americans.

How I Organized This in My Classroom

There are a lot of different ways you could do this with your students. I would always have my librarian collect enough child-friendly biographies for each student in my class.  We would sit in a circle, and each student would get one of the books.  They had about a minute to look through the book, and then everyone passed their book to the left.

After everyone had looked through every book, students would write down the top 5 people they were interested in researching.  Then, I would look through everybody's choices and assign each student their famous African American to research.

This process got students excited and gave them more ownership over the project.  However, it also allowed me some freedom to make adjustments that would help students be successful and be exposed to different people.

My students used a book from the library as their main source for research, so I wanted to make sure the reading level of the books was appropriate for each of my students.  (If you have a really well-organized classroom library checkout system, this might be easier for you!)

Scaffolding a Black History Month Essay

As all upper elementary teachers know, having students complete research and then use that to write a successful essay is much harder than you would think.

You have to teach students not to copy paragraphs straight from a book or website.  And how to organize a research paper.  And you have to motivate students so that they will actually WANT to write.

This No Prep Black History Month Research Project scaffolds the entire process so students can succeed.  And even better, it will minimize all the one on one time and help students complete their project much more independently.

But there are ways you can scaffold on your own.

1. Model the Project for Your Students

Modeling an entire project takes up a lot of class time, but it makes a huge difference in your students' success.  Plus, it will prevent a lot of student questions later.

This No Prep Black History Month Research Project has all the information you need to use Martin Luther King, Jr. in your modeling.

2. Provide a Research Page with Clear Topics

Instead of having students do their own research on note cards or a blank sheet of paper, provide a research page that tells them exactly what sorts of topics they should be researching.

Otherwise, students have the tendency to copy paragraphs and collect information on irrelevant topics.

Decide what exactly you want your students to learn about - for example, their African American's family, accomplishments, and impact - and create a research page that helps students easily organize that information.  (And, of course, this project also includes research pages.)

3. Scaffold the Writing Process

This might be one of the most important ways to help your students write a successful, organized research paper. Simply providing students with paragraph frames can make a drastic difference and give students more confidence in their writing.

This is similar to this scaffolding you can use when having students write a compare and contrast essay.   Or, use the no prep option with this already ready-to-go Black History Month Project.

Use the Research to Create a Timeline and Map

Use this opportunity to address some other social studies skills - timelines and maps!

Have students use their research to create a timeline of important events in their famous African American's life.  Then, provide students with a blank map and have them color in different states that were important to their African American.

This is a very simple way to make these skills more meaningful to students.

Presenting the Black History Month Project

There is no one right way to have students share their projects.  It really depends on how much time you have!

Here are some options:

• Have students simply turn in their projects.  You could use them to create a bulletin board or just take a grade.
• Have students create a poster with their essay, map, and timeline.  They can present it to the class, or you could make a display.
• Have a Living Wax Museum!  This takes a lot more preparation, but your students and parents will love it.  Find more information on Living Wax Museums here.

If you think this scaffolding would be beneficial to your students as well, then you might like my Black History Month Research Project – Essay, Map, and Timeline Resource.   It includes everything I used to help my students be successful – even a model using Martin Luther King, Jr. so you can show students what is expected of them!

Testimonial:

"This has made doing this research project so much easier! The best part is that samples of the completed steps are included. They always want to copy full sentences instead of making notes, and displaying the sample while they worked led to many more children succeeding without my one to one help."

You might also like these other ideas and resources for teaching during Black History Month - including a freebie!  

Never Stress Over Sub Plans Again!

Make copies, find a fiction book, and you'll be ready for any emergency that comes your way!

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Late Cincinnati millionaire leaves $13.5 million to ALS research at UC Gardner institute

The donation is the second largest in the uc gardner neuroscience institute’s history.

The UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute just received its second largest donation in history: $13.5 million.

The gift comes from the estate of late Cincinnati millionaire Hugh Hoffman, to use toward ALS research and patient care.

The donation is life-changing for patients with ALS and their families, according to Dr. Robert Neel, director of the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic at UC Health.

“Of all the neurological diseases that we know of today, ALS is likely the cruelest and the area in which we have witnessed the least progress in a century of science,” he said in an announcement Monday.

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a fatal neurological disorder that causes loss of muscle control through destroying nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It was formerly known as 'Lou Gehrig's disease,' for the famous New York Yankees baseball player who died two years after developing ALS in 1939.

People with ALS gradually lose their ability to walk, talk, chew and breathe. Average life expectancy after diagnosis is between two to five years, and there is currently no known cure.

The disease affects around 1,100 Ohioans, according to the ALS Association , a nonprofit that advocates for patients with ALS.

Hugh H. Hoffman's father was one of them, which was why Hoffman was a dedicated supporter of ALS-related causes.

The $13.5 million donation will be used toward a research and a clinical support services fund that gives patients access to specialists such as nurse practitioners, therapists and nutritionists. It will also help provide technical equipment for patients as they lose motor control over their limbs and voice.