Eco-Friendly Two Weeks

Eco-Friendly Two Weeks Social Studies Lesson Plan

Teacher: Grade: 8th Grade Social Studies 8th Grade Teacher

Lesson Title: Early River Valley Civilizations

STRANDS

Culture Economics Geography Governance and Civics History Individuals, Groups, and Interactions

LESSON OVERVIEW Summary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem, or community link. This unit will be split into two different projects. For the first project students will be studying the health of the local watershed. In science students will be looking at the importance of biodiversity and reviewing how to use a dichotomous key to identify an unknown organism. Specifically, students will be looking at invertebrates. For this first half students in language arts will be reviewing how to communicate through technical writing, in math they will be looking at the Pythagorean theorem and how scientists use triangulation and in social studies students will be looking at geography and the importance of location. The culmination of this first half of the unit will be a field project where students will rotate through different stations looking at water quality, invertebrates in the water, GPS and location, soil layers, water flow, biodiversity in the soil, and invertebrates in the leaf litter. The second half of the unit students will be looking ahead to high school standards. In science students will be looking at physics standards relating to heat transfer. Students will design an experiment to test the most energy efficient roofing materials, home orientation, and home location. In science students will investigate the transfer of heat using systems of equations. In language arts students will be writing about the results of the experiment. In Social Studies students will be explaining how cultures around the world build homes that fit the environment they live in. Students will also be learning more about energy and energy transfer in iWellness and they will be working to finalize and communicate their results in Media.

MOTIVATOR Hook for the week unit or supplemental resources used throughout the week. (PBL scenarios, video clips, websites, literature)

Who was King Tut? This is a brief video clip showing an attempt to extract DNA from the actual remain of King Tut in Egypt. Historians there are attempting to find out who King Tut really was and possibly how the 19-year-old pharaoh was killed so early in his life. DAY Objectives Materials & Resources Instructional Procedures Differentiated Assessment (I can….) Instruction

1 I can explain how geography I-Pads, Apple TV, MacBook Essential Question: Remediation: Formative Assessment: led to the development of Airs, Mesopotamian house the Fertile Crescent. diagram (Appendix A). Based upon their location, Heterogeneous Grouping. Students will answer both of what were some of the today’s I can statements on Students may complete an I can summarize some of advantages for the an index card before exiting the difficulties faced by the Sumerians? “informative brochure” the classroom. Sumerians. about the Sumerian civilization in place of a storyboard.

Enrichment:

Students will research the meaning of cultural diffusion. Students will identify present examples of cultural diffusion in fashion, music, sports, entertainment, politics, etc.

Set: Ask students to use their i-Pads and research the where the following cultures are located on a map: Sumerians, Egyptians, and the Babylonians. Next, ask students what each of these civilizations has in common with one another and initiate class discussion.

Teaching Strategy(s):

1. Students will be divided into groups of two. Students will create virtual storyboards on the following topics using their i-Pads to conduct research: The Fertile Crescent, Sumerians, Sumerian Government, Sumerian Religion, Sumerian Science and Technology. Students will present their findings to the class.

2. Next, students will research what a Sumerian house might have looked like. Students should research the materials that were used to construct their houses. 3. Students will examine a picture of a typical Mesopotamian house (Appendix A). Students should answer the following question: How is the house like the homes of today, how is it different?

Summarizing Strategy: Students will write a paragraph using the following prompt: Do you think that living near a river or other body of water helps or hurts the development of a civilization? Students should provide examples of specific civilizations in their response.

2 I can summarize the events I-Pad, Apple TV. Essential Question: Remediation: Formative Assessment: leading up to the establishment of the How did the Code of Heterogeneous Grouping. Students will be asked if Hammurabi influence later they could answer today’s I Babylonian Empire. Students may come up with civilizations? can statements by showing I can explain the importance five laws/rules instead of thumbs up or thumbs down. of Hammurabi’s Code. ten. Enrichment:

Students will research five laws created by Hammurabi and rewrite them in modern terminology. Set: Hammurabi's Code Video Clip

This video clip introduces students to the need for laws in society. It asks students to imagine a society without laws and what that society might be like. The clip goes on to explain the legacy of King Hammurabi of the Babylonian Empire and how his code of laws helped lay the foundation of government’s role in every day society.

1. Students will be placed in groups of two. Students will use their i-Pads create their own system of laws (at least 10) or rules for the class.

2. Students will then be asked to join another group and examine each other’s original laws/rules.

3. Next, each group will create their final version of their ten laws/rules. Students will airplay their results and the class will discuss and vote on which groups laws/rules to go by for the remainder of the semester.

Summarizing Strategy: Students will write a letter to the editor of their local newspaper on the issue of Hammurabi’s Code and if its idea of “eye for an eye” justice is a good or poor basis for making laws. 3 I can explain the importance I-pads, Apple TV, MacBook Essential Question: Remediation: Formative Assessment: of the Nile River to the Airs. Egyptian people. How did the Egyptians use Heterogeneous Grouping. Students will answer both of their environment to today’s I can statements on I can describe some of the sustain their civilization? In place of a presentation an index card before exiting main achievements of the the student may write a two the classroom. Ancient Egyptian people. to three page report on their topic.

Enrichment:

Students will research the practice of embalming today and compare/contrast it with the embalming practices of the Egyptians. Set: Ancient Egypt Clip

Students will view a brief video explaining the construction of the Great Obelisks at Luxor. Students will get a glimpse of the amount of planning, manpower, and determination that the Egyptians had to please their ruler-Ramses.

1. Students will be divided into groups of two and assigned one of the following topics: Ancient Egypt and the Nile River, Ramses, the Egyptian pyramids, Osiris, Ra, Isis, King Tutankhamen, Cleopatra.

2. Students will create a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation about their assigned topic. Students will be required to have pictures on every slide and a video clip if possible about their topic.

3. Students will present the following day to their classmates. As groups present, have the audience write ten facts from each presentation. After all presentations are complete, each student is to write two sentences about what they learned from each of the presentations today.

Summarizing Strategy: Students will write an obituary for both King Tutankhamen and Cleopatra. Students are to describe how each obtained power in Egypt and describe the accomplishments or failures of each of the pharaoh’s. Students are to be as historically accurate as possible.

Project Day – See Unit Plan

Experimenting for a Sustainable Future: Watershed Health – Field Day

5 Project Day – See Unit Plan

Experimenting for a Sustainable Future: Watershed Health – Field Day

6 I can explain the purpose of I-Pads, dry erase board, Essential Question: Remediation: Formative: the Egyptian pyramids. Apple TV, Mummy Case Students will answer both of picture (Appendix C), About How did the Egyptian Students will use their i- today’s I can statements on I can summarize the the Art information civilization view death? pads and research the tomb an index card before exiting importance of religion to (Appendix D), Venn Diagram of King Tut. The student will the classroom. the Egyptian people. (Appendix E). then create a one-slide presentation about what was found in King Tut’s tomb.

Enrichment:

Allow students to research modern day funeral rituals of Jews or Muslims. Have students use a Venn diagram (Appendix E) to compare with modern day Christian funeral rituals. Set: Making a Mummy Clip

Students will view a short clip explaining the process of making a mummy in ancient Egypt. Students learn what organs are taken out of the body and what organs actually stay with the body. The video also explains why the Egyptians went to great strides to preserve the dead and place them in extravagant tombs.

1. Airplay the picture of the Mummy Case (Appendix C).

2. Allow students to closely examine the picture and write down as many interesting things about the picture as possible.

3. Next, allow students to use their I-pads and research as much information as they can about Egyptian coffins (sarcophagus), Egyptian symbols, and Egyptian art. Students should write at least six to seven facts they learn from each of the topics. Students may use “About the Art” (Appendix D)

4. Bring the entire class together and once again airplay the picture of the Mummy Case. Ask the class if they notice anything on the case that they didn’t see or recognize before?

5. Lastly, students will now use poster board and design their own mummy case. Students are to design their own glossary of symbols and keep record of what their symbols represent to them personally.

Summarizing Strategy: Students will design their own tombstone and write their own epitaph. Students should be certain to include what impact they have made in this life as human beings as well as what they believe people will most remember about them once they are gone from this world. 7 I can summarize why Indus I-pads, Apple TV, MacBook Essential Question: Remediation: Formative Assessment: Valley cities were uniform in Airs. their structure and What does the attention Heterogeneous Grouping Students will answer today’s functionality. the Indus people gave to I can statement on an index plumbing and sewer Students may create a Lotus card before leaving class. systems say about its diagram on their i-pads and culture? fill in the information about the Cities, Geography, Culture, Trade, and Decline.

Enrichment:

Assign students to research the history/planning of Kingsport, Tennessee. Students should make a PowerPoint presentation and include such things as industry, parks, schools, and local entertainment venues that people took interest in. Set: Students will use their I-pad to research and answer the following prompt: How is wastewater disposed of from your home and explain the purpose and functionality of a wastewater treatment plant. Once students have shared their research be certain to explain that the Indus Valley people stressed cleanliness and sanitation in their culture.

Teaching Strategy:

1. Divide students into five groups.

2. Assign each group one of the following five topics for the people of the Indus Valley region: Cities, Geography, Culture, Trade, and Decline.

3. Allow students to use their I-pads and research each topic. Use your dry- erase board to create a chart with all of the headings from above. Call on students to write their findings in the appropriate column.

4. Once the column is completely filled out on the board, call on students to explain their portion of the chart to the rest of the class.

5. Next, have students create a “Bragging Wall” for the achievements of the Indus Valley culture. Once students have put together a list have them categorize the achievements. Assign groups to each category and have the group come up with one paragraph on how their achievement helped advance the Indus Valley civilization.

Summarizing Strategy: Students will design their own residential neighborhood. Students will create a layout/diagram of what their neighborhood is going to look like and propose it to the local county commission. Students will need to make certain to include the layout of the sanitation system, and what the roads will look like in the neighborhood.

Experimenting for a Sustainable Future: Top Roof – Research and Hypothesis

Experimenting for a Sustainable Future: Top Roof – Build and Test

Project Day – See Unit Plan

Experimenting for a Sustainable Future: Top Roof – Conclusions STANDARDS Identify what you want to teach. Reference State, Common Core, ACT College Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies.

GLE 1. 1. Understand the multi-cultural components to world culture. GLE 1.3. Understand the ways in which individuals and groups contributed to changes in social conditions. GLE 2.5. Understand the contribution of individuals to the economy systems of the world. GLE 3.1. Understand the importance of physical geographic features on world historic events. GLE 4.1. Understand the development of major systems of world governance. GLE 5.1. Understand the chronological flow of historical eras and events in World History. GLE 5.2. Understand the processes that gave rise to the earliest human civilizations. GLE 5.3. Understand the maturation of Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Oceanic, and the Americas and their continuing impact on the modern world. GLE 6.1. Understand the impact of one’s culture on identity, lifestyle, and socioeconomic status. GLE 6.2. Recognize the role of individuals in various cultures such as Western, Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and indigenous cultures. GLE 6.3. Understand the extent to which individuals, groups and institutions interact to produce continuity and change throughout world history.