Grade 5 Social Studies: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 5 social studies in the Nunavut Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Nunavusiutit: heritage and culture, history, geography, environmental science, and civics and economics, with a focus on Nunavut and its links to Canada and the circumpolar world.
- Inuuqatigiit, the curriculum from the Inuit perspective, shapes how the strand is taught.
- Skills of inquiry, working with others and respecting different points of view.
Easy ways to practise social studies at home
- Follow a current event together and ask who is affected and why people see it differently.
- Build a timeline of a family event or a historical topic they are studying.
- Use an atlas or online map to trace a trade or travel route.
- Ask “Whose voice is missing from this story?” when reading about the past.
What each unit covers
The Land Claims Agreement
Covers the 1993 Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, the creation of the territory in 1999, and the roles of NTI and the wildlife and land boards. Present tense and light.
Finding the Way on the Land
Practises Inuit land skills vocabulary and safe travel ideas such as telling someone your plan. Inuktut words vary by community. Children should only travel on the land with experienced family members.
Maps, Sources and Fair Thinking
Reading and building maps with latitude and longitude, telling primary from secondary sources and fact from opinion, comparing points of view, and working fairly with others.
Listen, Share and Solve Together
Listening to others, using language that respects diversity, supporting ideas with information, negotiating to reach agreement and presenting ideas in different ways.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Nunavut report card guide.
Common questions
Follow a current event together and ask who is affected and why people see it differently. Build a timeline of a family event or a historical topic they are studying. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
The Nunavut Curriculum Grade 5 social studies units include the land claims agreement, finding the way on the land, maps, sources and fair thinking, listen, share and solve together.
Free printable Grade 5 social studies practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.