Key Phrases in Plain Words

5th Grade Social StudiesDeclaration of Independence3 pages

About this worksheet

A glossary of six hard words, including self-evident, unalienable and consent, supports six phrases from the Declaration of Independence on this 5th grade worksheet. Students rewrite phrases such as "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" and "deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" in plain words. Part 2 asks who was left out of "all men are created equal" in 1776 and how the meaning has grown. The 3-page file ends with an answer key of sample rewrites.

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Key Phrases in Plain Words: Declaration of Independence - page 1
Key Phrases in Plain Words: Declaration of Independence - page 2
Key Phrases in Plain Words: Declaration of Independence - page 3

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Curriculum objectives covered

RI.5.4

“Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.”

The glossary and the six rewrite boxes ask students to work out what words like unalienable and consent mean in the preamble.

“Explain how the meaning of equality has grown since 1776.”

Question 7 asks who was left out of "all men are created equal" and how the phrase has changed.

What's inside this worksheet

Glossary of Key Words

Six words with short definitions: self-evident, endowed, unalienable, consent, deriving and institute.

Part 1 Rewrite in Your Own Words

Six boxes with two writing lines each, one phrase per box, from "We hold these truths to be self-evident" to "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it".

Part 2 Think and Discuss

Question 7 asks who was left out of "all men are created equal" in 1776 and how the meaning has grown since. Six lines to write on.

Answer key

A sample plain-words rewrite for each of the six phrases and a sample answer to question 7.

How teachers use it

Glossary first

Read the glossary together before students start. Have them underline any glossary word they find inside a phrase.

Pair and compare

Partners swap rewrites and decide whether a younger student would follow them. The key gives samples only, so accept any fair rewrite.

Careful discussion

Question 7 is a discussion question. Let pairs talk for a minute before they write, and keep the key's list of who was left out to hand.

More 5th Grade Social Studies worksheets

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