Grade 5 – Unit 6

Drums: The Heartbeat of Cultures

Bring the world of music and culture into your classroom with our Drums: The Heartbeat of Cultures unit! Students will explore how drums are used in ceremonies, celebrations, and everyday life, while discovering how they help people express identity and connect generations.

This ready-to-use unit links Grade 5 Arts and Language expectations, helping students examine musical traditions, understand diverse perspectives, and strengthen their writing with complex sentences and adverbial clauses. Engage your students with meaningful, cross-curricular learning while exploring the cultural and historical significance of drums.

Structured Writing Cycle

Drums: The Heartbeat of Cultures

• Mentor Text – Drums: The Heartbeat of Cultures
• Educator Resource – Structured Writing
  • Instructional Slide Deck – Structured Writing
  • Instructional Slide Deck – Vocabulary
  • Colour Coded and Student Exemplars
  • Student Writing Page with Prompt

General Resources

• Learning Through Literacy Grade 5 Overview